Stranger (Storonniy)

Discovered during the virtual edition of the Frighfest festival, the new film written and directed by Dmitriy Tomapolskiy skillfully mixes thriller and science fiction film and above all shows that the ukranian cinema is able to propose films that can be made with current American science fiction films.

Inspector Gluhovsky, whose track record in case solving is unsurpassed, is entrusted with the case of the mysterious disappearance of a team of six synchronized swimmers during their performance at an aquatic therapy clinic. Five years later, she immerses herself in a seemingly similar case: the unexplained evaporation of a woman from a bath in a locked room built next to a sewage treatment plant. How are these cases related and how does a doll with real hair relate to them? During his investigation, Gluhovsky will also find out who she really is.

Stranger (Storonniy) is revealed not only by the great care taken in her production and photography, but above all by her willingness to propose a new approach to a much more pernicious alien invasion, but also the impact of time and its control by higher entities. We will also appreciate the editing also made by director Dmitriy Tomapolskiy to give his film memories of the cult film saga Matrix with notably a supernatural creature that will remind us of the works of H.P Lovecraft.

This mix of diverse inspirations is totally mastered and gives Stranger (Storonniy) an undeniable charm. The quality of the scenario makes it almost impossible to see the events that will take place before our eyes and still this final outcome that shows us that Ukrainian cinema is still capable of surprising us.

Stranger
Written and directed by Dmitriy Tomapolskiy
Produced by Alena Demyanenko
Starring Anastasiya Yevtushenko, Darya Tregubova, Maria Bruni
Cinematography: Serhii Smychok
Edited by Dmitriy Tomashpolskiy
Release date: October 22 2020 (UK), November 2020 (Ukraine)
Running time: 90 minutes

Viewed on October 21, 2020 (screener press)

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