Streaming Sleepers: Roman Perfilyev’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN UKRAINE, Historical Reverence Wrapped In Thrilling Vengeance And Energy
Writer/director Roman Perfilyev’s second film took a while to get to our side of the globe but folks looking to check out his sophomore feature can now do so in Once Upon A Time In Ukraine. Samuel Goldwyn Films gave a theatrical and VOD release back in April. Featuring actors Roman Lutskyi and Sergey Strelnikov, the story is set in 1844 Ukraine where a serf named Taras, an aspiring poet and storyteller, finds himself captive and separated from his beloved Maria (Kateryna Slyusar) by an evil lord (Andrey Malinovich) who trafficks women to foreigners. Upon a chance escape, he befriends Akayo, a half-Ukranian Japanese ronin who previously wandered past the border following a scrimmage with a squad of lethal ninja assassins. As the story progresses, the two find a common goal in their respective quests, with Akayo taking on Taras as his apprentice to train him for the deadly battles […]
