In The Rearview

Directed by Maciek Hamela
Film Movement
2023
84 Minutes
Poland, France, Ukraine
Ukrainian, Polish, Russian, English, French
Documentary
Not Rated
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In a volunteer aid van occupied by multiple generations of civilians, an authentic and intimate observation of the war in Ukraine unfolds. Each passenger is unique in age, origin and circumstance, but alike in where they find themselves — fleeing their homes while huddled together in a cramped back seat. Bound for Poland, the vehicle operates as their shelter, waiting room, hospital and confessional.

Shot almost entirely inside driver/director Maciek Hamela's van, In the Rearview uses "the power of protest through personal filmmaking instead of blunt messaging" (RogerEbert.com) to create a collective portrait of those most vulnerable in this ongoing geopolitical struggle.

Director & Cast

  • Director: Maciek Hamela

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Trailer

Photos

Reviews

  • "NYT Critic's Pick! Many passengers seem to be heading to the Polish border from remote Ukrainian villages. But the van’s familiar interior has a way of underlining how many other millions across history have had to escape military aggression. Hamela’s work as driver and documentarian reflects that reality while offering a spirit of resilience."
    Nicolas Rapold, New York Times
  • "Maciek Hamela’s Oscar-shortlisted documentary In the Rearview [is] a compelling portrait of Ukrainian civilians fleeing for their lives in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion."
    Matthew Carey, Deadline
  • "Respectful, frank and moving, this is a small film with a devastating impact."
    Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily
  • "As a mode of witnessing the horrors of war, the documentary is both subtle and remarkable, and because of its carefully honed editing and simplistic yet effective structure, we’re granted unique insight into the lives and stories of these individuals too easily thought of as background players in a larger geopolitical struggle. “In the Rearview” lets us see clearly what’s so often obscured. "
    Jason Gorber, RogerEbert.com
  • "A mesmerizing film."
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture
  • "Hamela’s film takes on the power of protest through personal filmmaking instead of blunt messaging."
    Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
  • "An extraordinary film."
    Alissa Wilkinson, Vox
  • "Director Maciek Hamela makes a fair argument that one can comfortably record history while being an agent for change."
    Pat Mullen, POV Magazine
  • "[T]he film’s high stakes and its characters’ intense passions make it must-see documentary for anyone who wants to understand the plight and resolve of the Ukrainian people."
    J Paul Johnson, Film Obsessive
  • "A refreshing and candid snapshot of the normal and the horrific. Once it starts, it will overcome any hesitation from war-weary, burned-out audiences."
    Kent Turner, Film-Forward.com
  • "A road movie that is simple in concept and devastating in execution. "
    Steve Pond, The Wrap
  • "Despite the extraordinary circumstances in which its subjects find themselves, the film is incredibly effective as a slice-of-life documentary, a testament to the resilience and courage of the normal people this conflict has affected, as well as Hamela’s determination to tell their stories as truthfully as possible."
    Louis Roberts , Dirty Movies
  • "In another stellar example of vérité storytelling, the ravages of war are written on the faces of evacuees as they flee their homes and lives amid escalations in the war in Ukraine, viewed through the ‘rear view’ perspective of our director as he drives group after group out of danger and into new and uncertain lives ahead. Views of the passing, war torn landscape outside the windows of the vehicle are continuous glimpses into the horrors of war that most people can only imagine. This emotionally-driven journey into the unknown for the film’s subjects, passengers of the camera-wielding caravan, captures the humanity of each face and the rawness of their experience in moments charged with fear, empathy, love, pain, grief and even, at times, humor."
    Chicago International Film Festival's Documentary Competition Jury Statement
Winner
Grand Jury Award
Sheffield Int'l. Documentary Festival
Winner
Silver Hugo - Best Documentary
Chicago Int'l. Film Festival
Winner
Grand Prix
Bilbao Int'l. Festival of Documentary Films
Winner
Political Film Award
Hamburg Film Festival
Winner
Golden Eye
Zurich Film Festival
Nominated
Best Feature Documentary
International Documentary Association
Official Selection
DOC NYC
Official Selection
Acid Cannes
Official Selection
Toronto Int'l. Film Festival
Official Selection
Dokufest
Official Selection
IDFA