A magical love story: the official poster of the film Mavka. A True Myth”
31 December 05:13
The creators of the feature film Mavka: The Real Myth(FILM.UA Group) present the official poster of the film, which opens up a completely new story of Mavka inspired by Ukrainian authentic legends, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“At first glance, you see only two characters on the poster, but there are actually three of them. The mysterious lake with water lilies is a full-fledged character who hides deep mysteries,“ comments director Katya Tsaryk.
The film takes place in the ancient forests of Ukraine in an alternative present, where mythical creatures emerge from the Dark Lake on the eve of the Short Night. The protagonist is Mavka, whose love for an ordinary boy, Lukyan, becomes a challenge to the laws of the mystical world. When love clashes with the demonic nature of the forest nymphs, Mavka is forced to fight for her own human soul. The film stars Arina Bocharova, Ivan Dovzhenko, Viacheslav Dovzhenko, Alesya Romanova, Anastasia Yankova, and Eduard Polyakov.
“Mavka’s universe is scalable. It is important for us to show the audience the image of another Mavka, close to the origins of Ukrainian demonology and folk tales. For the international market, this is a clear format of romantic fantasy, but with a unique Ukrainian cultural code that makes us visible in the world,” says producer Anna Eliseeva.
“The fern and water lilies refer to the Kupala myth, the time of Mermaid Week, when nymphs and mermaids come out into the world of people. The fern symbolizes the magic of the forest, and the water lily symbolizes the water element. Their combination in the image of Mavka emphasizes her boundary state between the two worlds and is an accurate visual embodiment of Ukrainian demonology,” explains Volodymyr Halaychuk, an ethnologist and researcher of Ukrainian mythology, who is a consultant to the film’s creative team.
The film’s wide national release is scheduled for March 1, 2026. The premiere screening of the film will take place on February 22, 2026, at the Ukraine Palace. This will be the first screening of a national film in the history of this legendary venue, which will bring together more than 3000 viewers.
The film stars Arina Bocharova, Ivan Dovzhenko, Viacheslav Dovzhenko, Alesya Romanova, Anastasia Yankova, and Eduard Polyakov. The project was produced by Iryna Kostiuk and Anna Eliseeva, who previously presented the world with the animated hit Mavka. The Forest Song”. The screenplay was written by Jaroslav Wojciechszek, the author of the most successful Ukrainian blockbusters of the last decade.
The visual world of the film is created by a star team: director Katya Tsaryk, director of photography Yuriy Korol and stylist and founder of the TTSWTRS brand Anna Osmekhina.
Distributor of theatrical rights in Ukraine: Green Light Films in collaboration with FILM.UA Distribution.
Poster created by Starlight Creative
REFERENCE
Title: “Mavka. A real myth”
Release date: 1 March 2026
Distribution: Green Light Films and FILM.UA Distribution.
Genre: fantasy
Production: FILM.UA
Directed by: Katya Tsaryk
Producers: Iryna Kostiuk, Anna Eliseeva
Executive producer: Oleksandra Lozinska
Actors: Arina Bocharova, Ivan Dovzhenko, Viacheslav Dovzhenko, Dmytro Pavko, Olesya Romanova, Yulia Buynovska, Roksolana Valivots, Margarita Gura, Alina Kovalenko, Yelyzaveta Tsilyk, Karolina Mruha, Ksenia Ihnat, Anastasia Mazhara, Tetiana Shavkova, Natalka Huryn, Yulia Khamkhil, Angelina Tkachyshyn, Darya Protsenko, Andriy Podlesnyi, Eduard Polyakov, Polina Zelenska, Maksym Hayevskyi, Paola Elizabeth Jim, Anastasia Yankova, Oleksandr Sokolov, Nadiia Levchenko
Screenwriter: Yaroslav Voitseshek
Director of Photography: Yuri Korol
Production designer: Maxim Nimenko
Art design of the costumes of nymphs and mermaids: Anna Osmekhina
Costume designer: Ksenia Mozhar
Makeup artist: Svetlana Rymakova
Assistant makeup artist and SFX artist: Olena Semenets
Hair artist: Elena Tvelina
Composer: Dario Vero
Storyline: Mavka, a mystical and dangerous forest nymph, falls in love with biologist Lukyan instead of destroying him in a mysterious forest lake where mermaids and other nymphs are waiting for human souls. And they are willing to do anything to keep Mavka on the dark side.
