The roads in the remote provinces of Ukraine are in a truly deplorable condition. Mikola, like many other Ukrainians who live and work in isolated villages scattered across the Ukrainian landscape, must devote two days to navigate his way from his home to Sarata – an isolated mountain village. In some parts of the country, life is still stuck back in 1950.
Dimitri, a postman who drives a Jigouli he repaired himself, faces treacherous road conditions as he delivers mail to these remote villages for a meager salary that hardly allows him to get by. Along with other Ukrainians living outside of main cities and faced with extreme poverty and terrible infrastructure, Dimitri’s journey serves as a stark reminder of the struggles that people living in rural areas of Ukraine face every day.
This story was captured on film by documentary filmmaker Yulia Kovanova for her feature-length documentary “Mikola’s Journey”. This powerful story explores the harsh realities of life in rural Ukraine and gives voices to those affected by poverty and lack of resources. To understand better the struggles faced by people living in these remote areas, viewers are encouraged to watch this fascinating documentary.
