The blue above and the gold within
“THE BLUE ABOVE AND THE GOLD WITHIN” HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR THE
21st REFUGEES FILM FESTIVAL – JAPAN FOR UNHCR
Logline
With the enthusiasm and vulnerabilities of her nine years, Valeria GAVRYLYUK, an Ukrainian refugee in Milan during the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, wins her battle by finding in Italy not only refuge but also new prospects for her future life.
Synopsis
Valeria is a nine-year-old Ukrainian refugee who, with her mother and younger brother, arrives in Italy where she is welcomed by her Uzbek grandmother, who has been living in Italy for a few years.
Valeria starts attending a school in Milan, where she excels in mathematics and Italian, and quickly makes friends with her classmates. The only person she dearly misses is her father a skilled hockey player whom Valeria idolizes, who remains in Ukraine. Every day after the school, from five in the afternoon until eight in the evening, Valeria trains in rhythmic gymnastics with Anca Goia, a Romanian National Champion.
A beautiful friendship blossoms between teacher and student, and Valeria begins to win gold medals and dreams of becoming a successful professional athlete.
PRODUCER: Michelangelo Pastore
DIRECTOR: Pepi Romagnoli
SUBJECT AND SCRIPTWRITER: Pepi Romagnoli
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Giuseppe Campo
COMPOSER: Parov Stelar – DJ Pablo – Stefano Profeta – Antonin Dvorak – Piotr Ilic Tchaikovsky
CAST: Valeria Gavrylyuk, Ancuta Elena Goia, Natalia Demenkova, Andri Gavrylyuk, Tetiana Demenkova, Vitaly Gavrylyuk, Teodora Battistoni, Carmelisa Fiorillo, Adele Inzaghi
EDITOR AND SUPERVISOR POST-PRODUCTION: Edoardo Maimone
DURATION: 78’ – 52’
TARGET AUDIENCE: ADULTS , FAMILIES, ADOLESCENTS
GENRE: creative documentary
LANGUAGES: Italian – Ukrainian – Russian
PARTNERS ON BOARD: Tosca Verde (Italy), Maxim Asadchkiy Pronto Film (Ukraine)
BEGINNING OF PRODUCTION: December 2024
END OF PRODUCTION: January 2025
ITALIAN RIGHTS: Michelangelo Film info@michelangelofilm.it
INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS: Ricardo Iglesias ricardo@trulygood.es
VISIONI DAL MONDO LUNGOMETRAGGI ITALIANI 2025 Special mention
21st REFUGEES FILM FESTIVAL – JAPAN FOR UNHCR 2026 Official selection
RELIGION TODAY FILM FESTIVAL TRENTO 2025
FESTIVAL DEI POPOLI FIRENZE 2025
SGUARDI ALTROVE 2026
TULIPANI DI SETA NERA – RAI CINEMA 2026
MIAMI WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2025 Winner
NOCTURNA BROOKLYN FILM FESTIVAL 2025 Winner
SAN DIEGO INDEPENDENT CINEMA AWARDS 2025 Winner
BOSTON INDIE FILM FESTIVAL 2025 Winner
TOKYO FILM & SCREENPLAY AWARDS 2025 Winner
LA FILM & DOCUMENTARY AWARDS 2025 Winner
LOS ANGELES FILM AND DOCUMENTARY AWARDS 2025 Winner
CALIFORNIA WOMAN FILM FESTIVAL 2026 Winner
NEW YORK FILM & CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARDS Winner
LONDON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025 Semi-finalist
NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL WOMEN FESTIVAL 2025 Semi-finalist
TOKYO WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL 2025 Semi-finalist
CINEMA PLANET 2025 Semi-finalist
ROTTERDAM INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 2025 Semi-finalist
WASHINGTON FILM AWARDS 2025 Semi-finalist
LONELY WOLF AWARDS 2025 Semi-finalist
PARIS WOMEN CINE FEST Semi-finalist
CHICAGO FILMMAKER AWARDS 2026 Semi-finalist
FRAMES OF NEW YORK 2026 Semi-finalist
RIO DE JANEIRO WORLD FILM FESTIVAL 2026 Semi-finalist
MELBOURNE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 2026 Semi-finalist
HONG KONG INDIE FILM FESTIVAL 2026 Semi-finalist
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL MOVIE AWARDS FEST 2026 Semi-finalist
OSLO INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 2026 Semi-finalist
FILM HOUSE 2026 Semi-finalist
director's note
Blue and gold are the colors of the Ukrainian flag, but they also represent Valeria’s aspirations. We follow the thread of her thoughts through her voice, which narrates her family, school, and her deep passion for rhythmic gymnastics.
We discover that she has an extraordinary ability to reflect and a determination uncommon for her age, yet she is also a normal, affectionate child who enjoys skipping rope and chatting with friends. Valeria is an example of how one can face a terrible life change like war.
