Synopsis

Living in a peaceful suburban neighborhood just outside Kyiv are eight-year-old Varia, her little sister Sasha, and their parents Anya and Pavlo. The neighborhood is bustling with families and children, and it is the perfect place for their young family to grow and flourish. The joyful sound of children fills the air, and every day is filled with laughter and play. However, everything changes when Russia invades Ukraine in February 2022, bringing with it chaos and destruction.

The once-peaceful world outside the children's bedroom window is replaced by scenes of horror and devastation. The family cowers in a corner of their home, trying to block out the sound of explosions with the loud noise of cartoons. But even the comfort of their familiar characters cannot calm their fears.

Pavlo knows they must leave, and quickly. They pack their whole lives into just two suitcases and drive through their beloved country, now war-torn. Varia watches in disbelief as her beautiful homeland is torn apart.

In a heartbreaking moment at the border with Poland, the family says they’re goodbyes. Anya and the girls leave Ukraine for a peaceful country, while Pavlo remains behind to help those who cannot evacuate themselves.

Anya and the girls struggle to find a sense of normalcy in their new home. The news of the war and the destruction it has wrought fills Anya’s heart with pain and guilt.

Meanwhile, Pavlo joins a group of volunteers in the effort to evacuate those who are trapped in the war zone. He witnesses death, loss, and devastation. But he also sees the unwavering love and spirit of those who stand up to protect their loved ones. They find the strength within themselves to do the unimaginable--because they have no other choice.

Pavlo, Anya, and the children use every opportunity to stay connected. Anna tries to be helpful by using different social media platforms to find people who need Pavlo's help. However, the amount of suffering she sees begins to take its toll. The girls observe their mother's frustration and notice that she isn't sharing anything with them, driving them apart and resulting in fights.

Eventually, they realize that the place that was supposed to protect them only breaks them further apart. So, Anya and Pavlo decide that they cannot stay separated any longer. This family is too precious to them, and they know that it's better to spend every possible moment together. In their new land, Varia and Sasha find it difficult to make new friends. Everywhere they turn, they are reminded of home, and their separation from their father is almost too much to bear. Their hearts are still at home in Ukraine. When the family is finally reunited after Russian forces are driven out of the Kyiv region, they realize that their reality has changed forever. Air raid sirens, bomb shelling, and blackouts are now a part of their everyday life. But through it all, they cling to each other, finding strength in their love and the knowledge that they have survived the worst of times.