The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Berlin Film Festival 2021

Stop-Zemlia

Berlin Film Festival 2021: Stop-Zemlia | Review
5 March 2021
Oliver Johnston
Avatar
Oliver Johnston
5 March 2021

Movie and show review

Oliver Johnston

Stop-Zemlia

★★★★★

Links

Facebook

Special event

Berlin London Film Festival 2021

1st to 5th March 2021

To be on the cusp of adulthood, where the distinction between childhood and maturity becomes blurred – with all the emotional confusion that this can provoke – is undeniably a subject that has been explored countless times before. There’s little that’s surprising about Stop-Zemila, but its version of these motifs is told with sensitivity and wisdom.

Mascha (Maria Fedorchenko) and her friends are in the last year of high school, looking anxiously and/or defiantly towards what lies ahead. It’s alluded to that the protagonist is grappling with depression, although this is a feature of her story rather than a theme: it’s mentioned, but not discussed. As the school year draws to a close, Mascha struggles to live in the moment without becoming overwhelmed by the future.

At times the Stop-Zemlia briefly feels like a Ukrainian remake of Skins, with its representation of the lightheartedness and occasional volatility of youth. The piece succinctly captures the intense affection that can be a hallmark of the teenage years, with the romantic and platonic crushes one can have on their circle of friends. Director Kateryna Gornostai confidently guides her feature in a way that allows it to meander while still seeming to head somewhere.

As Mascha, Maria Fedorchenko is the focal point of the story, leading with her expressive, slightly forlorn eyes, though it’s very much an ensemble effort. Whether they’re indulging in the games of children (blind man’s bluff and spin the bottle) or taking a blood oath of friendship, the young performers have a chemistry that is lovely to behold. Interestingly, Ukrainian students also have the option of taking a military pre-conscription class, in which skittish teenagers laughingly assemble assault rifles.

The floating nature of the narrative might be a bit too delicate for some, but Stop-Zemlia is a tender reminder of the uncertainty of youth as it begins to give way to adulthood and independence.

★★★★★

Oliver Johnston

Stop-Zemlia does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival 2021 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Berlin Film Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for Stop-Zemlia here:

Related Itemsberlin film festivalberlinalefilm festivalreview

More in Berlinale

A River Runs, Turns, Erases, Replaces: An interview with filmmaker Shengze Zhu

Selina Sondermann
Read More

The Girl and the Spider: An interview with Ramon & Silvan Zürcher

Samuel Nicholls
Read More

Taste (Vị)

★★★★★
Oliver Johnston
Read More

Jesus Egon Christ (Jesus Egon Christus)

★★★★★
Catherine Sedgwick
Read More

Jesus Egon Christ: An interview with directors David and Saša Vajda

Ezelle Alblas
Read More

“There really hasn’t been a film that deals with a platonic male-female relationship in this way”: Natalie Morales and Mark Duplass discuss Language Lessons

Selina Sondermann
Read More

Berlinale 2021 winners: The full list

Naomi Schanen
Read More

Summer Blur (Han Nan Xia Ri)

★★★★★
Selina Sondermann
Read More

Beans

★★★★★
Selina Sondermann
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Oliver Johnston

Stop-Zemlia

★★★★★

Links

Facebook

Special event

Berlin London Film Festival 2021

1st to 5th March 2021

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • The Fratellis – Half Drunk Under a Full Moon
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Power
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Madame Claude
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Playfight at Finborough Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Hysterical! The Hilarious History of Hystery at Theatre Royal Stratford East Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Celebrate the EE BAFTAs this Sunday with Claude Bosi’s free virtual dining experience
    Food & Drinks
  • Shake Shack launches limited edition Vegan Crispy Shallot Burger in partnership with chef Neil Rankin
    Food & Drinks
  • Nutrition Kitchen: Fresh, diverse meal plans to satisfy both fitness fanatics and hardcore foodies
    Food & Drinks
  • Red Rage
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Final Days
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Playfight at Finborough Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Power
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Godzilla vs Kong: A colossal brawl that magnificently delivers what we tuned in to see
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Wellington Paranormal
    ★★★★★
    vod
  • Worn Stories
    ★★★★★
    netflix
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Glasgow Film Festival 2021: Wildland | Review
Berlin Film Festival 2021: Je Suis Karl | Review