I got to watch They Who Surround Us when it played in Toronto in September 2021.
On the surface it is a simple story of the repercussions of a death on a family but there is much more below the surface.
The setting & culture, (Ukrainian Canadians in Alberta in the 80's) is something I haven't seen in film before.
The cinematography, especially in the flashbacks is hauntingly beautiful & reminiscent of the Andrei Tarkovsky films I have seen & loved.
The story unravels slowly & subtly & waits until the end to connect all the dots in the different timelines.
I & my family, including my 11 year old, really enjoyed it.
On the surface it is a simple story of the repercussions of a death on a family but there is much more below the surface.
The setting & culture, (Ukrainian Canadians in Alberta in the 80's) is something I haven't seen in film before.
The cinematography, especially in the flashbacks is hauntingly beautiful & reminiscent of the Andrei Tarkovsky films I have seen & loved.
The story unravels slowly & subtly & waits until the end to connect all the dots in the different timelines.
I & my family, including my 11 year old, really enjoyed it.