Saturday 4:40PM UNS

96 min.

thebabushkasofchernobyl.com, 2015

Director: Holly Morris

In the radioactive Dead Zone surrounding Chernobyl’s Reactor No. 4, a defiant community of women scratches out an existence on some of the most toxic land on Earth. They share this hauntingly beautiful but lethal landscape with an assortment of interlopers—scientists, soldiers, and even young thrill-seekers who sneak in to pursue post-apocalyptic video game-inspired fantasies. Why the film’s central characters, Hanna, Maria, and Valentyna, chose to return after the disaster, defying the authorities and endangering their health, is a remarkable tale about the pull of home, the healing power of shaping one’s destiny and the nature of risk. Huffington Post calls this film “a testimony of love, compassion and solidarity”. Audience Awards at Sun Valley Film Festival, Denver Film Festival, Florida Film Festival & Salem Film Festival