Oxygen Starvation (film)
| Oxygen Starvation | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Andrey Donchyk |
| Screenplay by | Yuri Andrukhovych Andrey Donchyk |
| Produced by | Marko Steph Andriy Donchyk |
| Starring | Taras Denyssenko |
| Cinematography | Ihor Krupnov |
| Edited by | Veronika Arefyeva |
| Music by | Yuriy Saenko |
Release date |
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| Language | Russian |
Oxygen Starvation (Ukrainian: Кисневий голод, romanized: Kisneviy golod) is a 1992 drama film directed by Andriy Donchyk, in his feature film debut. A co-production between Canada and Ukraine, it was screened at the 49th edition of the Venice Film Festival.
Plot
Cast
- Taras Denyssenko as Andriy Bilyk
- Oleg Maslennikov as Sergeant Koshachi
- Viktor Stepanov as Praporshchik Gamalia
- Oleksiy Gorbunov as Captain Golykov
- Alexandr Mironov as Junior Sergeant Boyko
- Mukhammadzhan Rakhimov as Saidov
Production
The film was produced by Kobza International, with Ukrainian companies Kobza Joint Venture and Victory FF serving as co-producers.[1] Among the earliest privately financed films in independent Ukraine, it is inspired by the real-life experiences of director Andrii Donchyk and screenwriter Yurii Andrukhovych.[2] It was shot in 1991 at real military sites, including the ruins of nuclear missile launchers and previously secret military zones.[1]
Release
Oxygen Starvation entered the competition at the Venice International Film Critics' Week sidebar of the 49th Venice International Film Festival.[1][3] It was also screened at the 17th Toronto Film Festival and at the 33rd Thessaloniki Film Festival, in which Taras Denyssenko received the award for best actor.[1]
Reception
Variety's critic David Stratton called the film a "From Here to Eternity Ukrainian-style", and described it as "tolerable" thanks to its "forceful direction and impressive thesping", but ultimately offering "little other than a catalogue of brutality and degradation".[4]
References
- ^ a b c d "Ukrainian-Canadian film "Oxygen Starvation" receives numerous awards". The Ukrainian Weekly. Vol. LXI, no. 4. 24 January 1993. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ^ Onufrienko, Anna; Kniazkov, Arsenii; Menzelevskyi, Stanislav; Bytiutskyi, Stanislav; Teliuk, Oleksandr (4 March 2022). "20 of the best films to help understand what's happening in Ukraine". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ^ Anselmi, Michele (13 September 1992). "Armata Rossa allo sbando senza patria senza onore" (PDF). L'Unità. p. 20.
- ^ Stratton, David (12 October 1992). "Kisneviy Golod - Oxygen Starvation". Variety. Vol. 348, no. 12. p. 188.