“The positive vibe”

Selecting the film heroes was a demanding process. Producer Gena Gazin and co-producer Anna Vozna reached to their contacts withing military units, rehabilitation and prosthetic centers, eventually receiving more than 40 applications. The criteria were very specific: veterans and active duty personnel with the experience of amputation sustained on the battlefield, currently on prosthetics, and with the right mindset.

“The psychological aspect was very important,” Masha explains. “The producers are mountain climbers and they know from experience that a single person with negative or toxic thoughts can be ruin the experience for all.”

“That’s the one!”

One of the film’s most compelling figures is Olia “Vysota” Yehorva. She is a soldier who, as Masha puts it, “could have died” from the severe injuries and close calls she sustained in combat. She is now serving in a front line drone combat unit. The Kilimanjaro climb was, Masha says, the first time since 2022 that she left the front other than for a medical treatment.

Olia came into the film through an unexpected path. Gena and Anna, the producers had originally focused on veterans with lower-limb amputations, and Olia’s injuries are different. But during casting, a contact mentioned almost in passing that she knew of an injured female soldier with a dream to become a mountain guide after the war.

Masha immediately saw an opportunity to tell the story from a woman’s perspective. In the past she made a feature documentary about female Ukrainian soldiers, 2021’s Inner Wars, and she knew what that perspective could offer. Jointly with producer Gena, the decision was instant, “She is the one and she must come with us.”

“I will not let my guys alone”

Descending from the summit is harder than going up, especially on prosthetics, where, as Masha describes, “the stump connects with the prosthesis with minimal to no amortization. It’s very hard. Very painful.”

During the descent, another soldier, “a large, strong man” callsign “Grizzly,” was hit hard by mountain sickness. A rescue helicopter arrived for another climber and offered Grizzly a ride down. “He refused. He said, ‘I will stay with my team.'” He was later evacuated to a lower camp instead, to recover and to wait for the others. He rejoined the team. “And this is just one example of team spirit,” Masha says.

“The film inspires people from different walks of life.”

A young woman in New York said she would never complain again about discomfort while hiking. A French ambassador said that the film will make it easier for him to face yet another challenging day. A prominent businessman said that despite his physical ailments, he will re-engage with life in a far more positive way.  One of the permanent representatives to NATO, after hosting the film at NATO headquarters in Bruxelles, told Masha, “We have a lot to learn from Ukrainians.”

Olia herself was deeply moved to see a room full of Western officials and ordinary citizens responding to her story. She told Masha: “When we are on the front line, we focus on our missions and often hear about our allies’ support in the news. But to see the people behind those decisions — those who stand with us, is truly precious.”

“It is not the end, but the beginning”

When we descended, we understood that this was not an ending, but the start of something entirely new. Inspired by this moment, the producers Gena and Anna, together with Oleksandr Pedan, founded the veteran movement Second Wind. The program provides veterans with amputations who use prosthetics the chance to engage in outdoor activities such as hiking in the Carpathian Mountains, rafting, and climbing.

As the first initiative of its kind in Ukraine, Second Wind is dedicated to empowering veterans to reclaim an active life while fostering a supportive community.

“It’s my duty to share the stories of our heroes with the world.”

Masha had never been in the mountains before, and filming at altitude was both creatively and physically challenging. She worked alongside the renowned director of photography Serhiy Mikhalchuk, who is serving on active duty since 2022. Up there, pushing through a fever, he compared the experience to war: “You have a mission. You have to accomplish it, whatever it costs you.”

Masha knows that feeling. She was injured on the front line while filming her previous documentary in Donbas. She spent two months in bed, not knowing if she would walk again.

Filming Olia, Sashko, Mr. Kind, Vlad, and Misha taught her to never give up. “I’ve learned that true strength lies in unity. Everyone can find their second wind and reach their personal summit. If they could, you can”, adds Masha.

“As a film director, it is my duty to share the stories of our heroes with the world and to highlight our national identity through culture.”

Second Wind Film Screening

From the battlefields of Ukraine to the roof of Africa, five heroes are rewriting the definition of impossible.  Screening includes Q&A with featured Ukrainian military heroine Olga “VYSOTA” Yehorova

When: Sunday, March 15, 3:30-6:00 pm
Where: Twilight Cafe & Bar, Portland, OR
Cost: $16
Tickets here