Reflection (2021) - full transcript
The film centers on Ukrainian surgeon Serhiy, who is captured by the Russian military forces in the conflict zone in Eastern Ukraine, and while in captivity, he is exposed to horrifying scenes of humiliation, violence and indifference toward human life. After his release, he returns to his comfortable middle-class apartment and tries to find a purpose in life by rebuilding his relationship with his daughter and ex-wife. He learns how to be a human being again, how to be a father and help his daughter, who needs his love and support.
Hold on.
Almost done.
And the second one.
Hello!
Hi, Daddy!
Happy birthday, sweetie!
Guess which hand?
The right one!
Sorry, I have to go.
-Happy birthday to the birthday girl!
-Thanks.
-This is for you.
-Thanks.
Hello.
It comes with a one-year warranty.
But if you sign up on their website,
it goes up to two years.
Thank you.
Want some coffee?
-Sure.
-I'll put the flowers in some water.
-No, I don't.
-It's a special day!
To the birthday girl!
You too!
You look tired.
Yeah, I was on the night shift--
a lot of wounded.
The military hospital is not coping.
All the seriously wounded
are being brought to us.
Nonstop surgeries all day long.
-And how are things going on the front?
-I just got back last night.
Yeah, how is it?
Fucking shitty.
The Russians have sent
a lot of weapons,
and heavy artillery
is constantly wiping us out.
We tried to rescue our captured boys...
and we were ambushed.
The one is dead,
the other one is wounded,
I almost died myself.
Want some?
Never mind.
I'm going to rest for a week
and put together
a new team to come back.
What about the doctors?
Two or three medics per battalion.
-No surgeons, I assume?
-No.
Any medical supplies?
Do you have everything you need?
We do.
But we only have surgeons
in the mobile hospitals
and that's about 10 miles away.
And what was that?
Come on.
Not funny at all!
And where is she now?
What were you doing out there?
What were you doing,
getting exposed to bullets?
-I was not.
-I'll take the helmet.
-Here.
-Come on, pull it.
-The tape's stuck.
-Try here.
Come on, let's change
in the changing room.
Adrenaline.
Defibrillator.
Shock!
The heart's stopped.
Time of death, 12:30PM.
What happened?
A mine blast wound.
The liver was destroyed.
Almost three litters
of blood in the stomach.
Haemorrhagic shock.
And the heart stopped.
How long before he got here?
About six hours,
from Avdiivka.
If we had been closer,
we could have saved him.
What about you?
Also a mine blast wound.
A lot of shell fragments in the body,
the carotid artery was torn out.
We fixed it.
-And what? Alive?
-Yes, hopefully.
But I'm a bit nervous about his leg,
it was in a tourniquet
for a long time.
He's young.
And what's going on downstairs?
I heard a new ambulance arrived.
There're a lot of wounded people,
but all of the operating rooms are full.
Okay, I'm having some coffee.
Three, four.
Ready? Three, four.
Sorry for the delay,
the movie will resume
in a couple of minutes.
Andriy has left again.
Mom said that if he was killed,
she wouldn't allow him to return home.
It's kind of like a stupid joke,
but somehow it's not funny to me.
But he said that if everyone
stayed at home and did nothing,
the war would reach us very soon.
Andriy is right.
Why don't you
join the war then?
-Want some water?
-Oh, no thank you.
You know,
I think that you're more useful here
than in the war.
Maybe.
No connection.
Fuck.
Where to?
It leads that way.
Let's go right.
Over there, the tracks look fresher.
Hey, about how many miles
since we turned?
About four miles.
I followed the footsteps to the left.
Are we going on a circle?
Hell knows, we'll see.
And there?
There's a fire there.
A checkpoint...
the map shows there's
an airfield behind it.
Stop.
Turn off the lights.
What's this bullshit?
Let me check.
Fuck!
-Where was he caught?
-At the block post.
Take off the bag.
Dismissed.
Name?
Serhiy Melnyk.
Birth year?
1978.
-Where are you from?
-Dnipropetrovsk.
Where did you work?
In a hospital.
What was your specialty?
General Surgery.
What's the password on your phone?
Seven-five-nine-zero.
-Is she your daughter?
-Yes.
I have a daughter too.
You can sit down.
Sit.
So you're a doctor?
Were you called up
or did you volunteer?
You got lost, huh?
What about the maps? GPS?
Okay.
Okay.
Take the phone and frisk him.
That's enough.
Enough!
Wash him off.
Take off your clothes
and put them on the floor.
And the boxers too.
Face the wall.
Turn around.
Turn back.
Turn again!
Turn... turn back.
Get dressed.
Faster.
We might have a corpse.
What do we do?
In a minute.
Take him!
Pour some water on him.
Check if he is alive.
Dead.
-Are you sure?
-Yes.
Dead, son of a bitch.
Take him to the ward.
Dispose of the corpse.
HUMANITARIAN AID
FROM RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Don't worry,
it'll get warmer now.
Wash him off.
What unit are you from?
I don't remember.
Did you blow up the convoy?
Yes, I did.
How many of you were there?
Just me.
Just you?
Leg!
Hold him.
The locals, who helps you?
-Nobody.
-Nobody?
He's out.
Hey, Doctor! Doctor!
Check him out!
So?
He's almost dead.
-Are you sure?
-Yes.
Fucking hero.
Take him off.
Come with me.
If he doesn't say anything tomorrow,
you'll handle him.
Andriy.
You're late.
We ran out of gas.
Check it out.
I looked everywhere,
I don't get where it fell off from.
Hip joint.
Wow.
Is it expensive?
A couple thousand euros.
No shit!
It's a sort of worth
a used European car.
Can I sell it?
Too bad.
I would have bought a car then.
I'd be in business with a taxi.
A free bird.
I've got tired of it here.
You want to buy a car?
Why not?
I wouldn't refuse, no way.
Take the body out.
Bury it somewhere outside the city.
If I leave,
I'll try to find the family.
They'll take him from you.
And what?
Will they pay?
Yes, and pay well.
You're a local. Don't you know
where to hide the body?
-You're going to get gas now?
-Yes.
Are you in?
Put it in.
Push the door.
I, Serhiy Vitalievych Melnyk,
born in 1978...
have illegally entered the territory
-of the Donetsk People's Republic...
-Wait!
-Have you seen the text?
-Yes.
-Were you told to memorize it?
-Yes.
You have two options.
Either you record
the correct confession,
I take it to the court
and we will let you go
at the next exchange.
Or second option...
I officially declare that
you refused to exchange,
give you the DPR passport
and send you off to war
to defend the young republic.
-Is that clear?
-Yes.
If you tell anyone
what you've seen here,
I will get you,
wherever you are.
-Are you ready?
-Yes.
Rolling.
I, Serhiy Vitalievych Melnyk.
Speak Ukrainian.
I, Serhiy Vitaliiovych Melnyk,
born in 1978,
I have illegally entered the territory
of the Donetsk People's Republic
with the aim to commit a terrorist act.
I was detained by
the Security Ministry of the DPR.
I admit my guilt.
I have no complaints
about the conditions of detention.
You're free.
Good evening!
You hear your name, get out, line up.
-Vitaliy Klimenko.
-Here.
-Olena Myshlyakivska.
-Here.
-Eugenia Bobyr.
-Here.
-Igor Matviishchin.
-Here.
-Ilya Emelyanov.
-Here.
-Serhiy Melnyk.
-Here.
I completely forgot,
Polina didn't even have lunch today.
Then, maybe, I could run to
the gas station and get a hot dog...
or we can go together.
Let her stay here for a while.
There was so little snow this year.
Let her have some fun.
By the way, today we have a broadcast
about the latest exchange,
maybe you'd like to come?
No, I'm not ready.
I understand.
I saw a new list
of prisoners yesterday.
Andriy isn't there again.
I called them even,
asked questions.
Nothing.
Maybe you know something?
On the show, we have a consultant
from the Ukraine Security Service
I've already annoyed him
with my questions.
He's just about running away
whenever he sees me.
By the way, what are your plans
for today or tomorrow?
I have no plans.
Why do you ask?
What if Polina stayed with you
for a few days?
-I have a lot of work and I'm shorthanded.
-Yes, of course.
Cool!
Mom, can I skip school tomorrow?
I've missed dad so much.
-Okay, I'll tell the school.
-Great!
Okay, that's that.
Pick up some things at home.
Polina has the key.
-And now you need to eat something.
-Okay.
-So what?
-Bye!
Bye! Let's slide!
-Slide? Let's go eat something.
-No, slide first.
-Aren't you hungry?
-No.
Maybe we can eat something
and come back here?
No, I don't want to.
Maybe he's still alive?
I'm afraid, he's not.
What if he can still be rescued?
You're a doctor.
Will you bring him here?
CHILDREN'S BIBLE
Maybe we should bury it after all?
Are you crying?
Come here.
Why are you crying?
I'm really worried about Andriy.
They can't find him anywhere.
Did you know...
that Buddhists treat
their bodies like a prison?
And when the soul leaves the body,
they simply burn it
as an unnecessary thing.
Christians, on the other hand,
believe that the body
is the temple of the soul...
that will be renewed
at the end of the world,
when God descends to earth...
...burned in a fire
or buried in the ground...
it is essentially just the breakdown
of protein compounds.
And if God was able...
to create a universe out of nothing...
then I think He can
easily create a new body
from dust or even atoms,
and resurrect the soul.
That's what the believers hope for.
I don't believe any of that.
I believe that in 20 years,
you'll send a DNA code to a 3D printer
and print a new body.
Strike it with electricity,
and the person will be alive.
And what if the soul really exists?
Then how do they make it
come back to the newly-printed body?
What if it doesn't want to go back?
What if it actually feels
imprisoned in the body?
Why do you think
the pigeon crashed into our window?
It just saw a reflection
of the sky in our window.
Andriy promised to buy me a drone...
and to sign me up for horseback riding.
But he disappeared instead.
Go away!
Go away!
Go away!
Go away!
Go! Go!
Are you okay?
You all right?
Did they bite you?
Fine.
Hello.
Yeah.
Did you get the money?
Fine.
Write down the number.
Ready?
071...
49...
37...
146.
Did you write it down?
Okay.
I need you to say that
you saw the buried body
and give them the coordinates.
And they'll do
the rest by themselves.
No need for that.
You'll get the rest of the money
when the body's here.
Fine.
Don't worry.
Fine. Don't forget
to buy another SIM card.
All right.
Let's go.
-Dad, can you help me?
-Yep.
One, two, three.
Got it.
Take the reins.
Go left.
Left.
Let's do the exercises.
Hands up.
Body left, right.
Follow the lead.
Come on, left.
Beautiful.
Bend to the left and to the right.
Control the leash.
Good.
Bend over to the tail.
Left, right.
Change hands.
And to the horse's neck.
So get up.
Let's trot.
Stirrups on the sock.
Now.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Don't bend your back.
Shoulders back.
Don't bend.
Heel to the bottom.
Shoulders back.
Fine.
Hands up.
Raise them up higher.
-Should we try to gallop?
-Yes. But I'm scared.
Shoulders back.
Don't be afraid.
Gallop.
Don't bend.
-Are you hurt?
-Yes.
What hurts?
Hands, legs, everything.
I don't know.
Get a first aid kit.
In a moment.
Which hand?
I don't know...
I guess the right hand.
Okay, let's do it.
Don't do that, please.
Can you move your fingers?
Not really.
-And now? Does that hurt?
-Oh yes.
Okay, and what about this hand?
This feels a little better.
-Can you move your fingers?
-Yes, I can.
Good.
Oww, it hurts!
Take the cover off and wait here
for a few minutes, please.
-Take it off.
-Okay.
-Does it hurt?
-Yes, a lot!
-Close your eyes.
-What for?
-Surprise.
-Okay.
-Are you peeking?
-No.
Look.
Wow! A drone!
-Do you like it?
-Yes, that's what I wished for.
Can we launch it?
-Here?
-Yes, why not?
-Can you fly it?
-Yes! Misha has the same one.
Let's do it.
Press the button.
It needs batteries!
No batteries?
Ugh, my hand.
Cool!
-Let's do this outdoors!
-Okay.
Both bones are broken.
Take the picture and go to the doctor
on the 3rd floor, room 305.
-Thank you!
-Goodbye!
Turn it off and go to sleep.
-Can I finish?
-Yes, tomorrow.
My hand is itching.
Let me help you.
I can't sleep
if I can't scratch it a little.
I think I broke my hand
because I burnt that Bible.
I don't think so.
That was just paper
with some pictures.
When I get better,
I want to be baptized.
Just in case
life after death does exist?
Will you be my godfather?
I can't.
I'm your father already.
Then Andriy might?
No, he's also
kind of like your father.
Here.
-Better?
-Yes.
Go to sleep.
Can dad stay with us for the night?
Sure, but next time.
Okay.
Good night then.
Good night.
-Good night.
-Good night.
Are you okay?
Will you go there with me tomorrow?
Yes.
Who's here for the body?
Sign here.
Here.
Right down the hall.
This is the death certificate.
Please let us know when you're
ready to pick up the body.
We'll get it prepared.
My condolences.
Are you okay?
Can you hear me?
Are you alive?
Alive.
-Anna?
-Yes!
-Dmytriy?
-Yes!
That was Zhenya.
You didn't recognize him,
but let's give her a round of applause!
-Mom?
-Yes!
-Polina.
-Yes!
-Mom?
-Yes!
The training is over for today.
Thank you all for your support.
See you next time!