When Russia invaded, the women of Ukraine’s leading contemporary dance group struggled to find purpose in their work. A search for resistance ultimately led them back to dance.
Match in a Haystack explores what happens when war renders your life's pursuits seemingly meaningless. Following Ukraine’s most innovative female contemporary dance group, the film unpacks how it is to navigate being a young artist when your country is at war. For many Ukrainian artists, Russia’s invasion in Ukraine is about more than just territory — it’s an attempt to erase Ukrainian identity. Through the lens of these women, the film looks at the forms resistance can take and the way new life roles can co-exist after intense trauma. As the war has dragged on, dance for these women has begun to take on new meaning: resilience, support, and release. Match in a Haystack follows the group as they decide to perform together for the first time since Russia invaded. On the forefront of the struggle for the cultural frontline, these women provide a tangible, multifaceted portrait of how it feels to cope, adapt, and grow when war threatens not only your country but also your identity.
