The Cinematheque

“Had The Lost Letter received adequate international exposure at the time, it would have been known today as one of the finest examples of East European cinematic magical realism, alongside films made in the same period by Zoltán Huszárik in Hungary or Wojciech Has in Poland.”

Ana Hedberg Olenina & Dina Iordanova, Slavic and East European Journal

Borys Ivchenko’s adaptation of the Mykola Hohol story is a comedic blend of road movie and adventure film, drawing deeply on Cossack legend, superstition, and folk mysticism. The protagonist, Vasyl, is assigned to deliver an important letter from the Hetman to the Russian Empress in Saint Petersburg. During his journey, he is joined by a fellow Cossack, and together they face many challenges and temptations. Ivchenko’s humorous film shows the disparities between the centre of the Russian empire and its colonies, while highlighting Ukraine’s pursuit of legal autonomy and cultural independence. Banned upon completion, The Lost Letter went unseen by audiences for almost eleven years.

In Ukrainian with English subtitles