"We wish to give special mention to a film that succeeds in conveying the impact of history on people's lives. FRAGMENTS OF ICE is composed exclusively of private video footage taken by the director's father - who travelled around the world during the Soviet era as a figure skater with the Ukrainian Ballet on Ice. The film ends with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "The end of history never happened" is how filmmaker Maria Stoianova aptly sums it up: "It is frozen and only catches up with us years later." FRAGMENTS OF ICE does not seek simple answers, but gives us an understanding of the complex interdependencies of Ukrainian history. The film brings us closer to the people of Ukraine and challenges us to support them in their desire to develop freely."
