So much average

Powerful

I wanted to but couldn't!

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

The 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival showed 'Wołyń' under the title 'Volhynia'. The film's official English title, however, is 'Hatred'.While Europe was tearing itself apart during the Second World War, another conflict, between Poles and Ukrainians, was going on in eastern Europe as militant Ukrainian organisations sought to expel all non-Ukrainians (chiefly Poles, but Jews as well) from the territory of a future Ukrainian state. This film centres on the impact of the violence on an ethnically-mixed village of Poles, Ukrainians and Jews, with the central character being Zosia, the prettiest (and blondest) girl in the village, who is in love with Petro, the prettiest (and blondest) *boy* in the village. But her father marries her off instead to Maciej, the village's much-older alderman. As awful as this is for Zosia, these domestic concerns pale into insignificance as the inter-ethnic violence is unleashed...... and unleashed it certainly is. When the film's interminable opening wedding scene ended I was glad because it meant the women finally stopped singing; but then I got bored with the violence - there are only so many times you can see someone having their spine pulled out before you stop paying attention. And that is a shame, because this is, after all, based on real events and real suffering. Director/writer Wojciech Smarzowski (adapting short stories by Stanisław Srokowski) would have done better to produce a shorter film (2½ hours is too long), keeping the character development and focussing on just one or two violent incidents - that, I feel, would have had more impact (and not resulted in this particular viewer, on seeing someone pulled in half between two horses in yet another gory scenario, dispassionately thinking "surely his arms would pop out first?")I found it difficult to keep up with who was Polish and who was Ukrainian - although the sub-titles are helpfully laballed 'Pol' and 'Ukr' - as so many of the characters speak in both languages anyway. I did appreciate that the film made the point that Poles were not only victims: they committed acts of violence also. And I liked the character bits. So I would recommend watching it once, but I doubt that I will watch it again.

To understand this film properly you need some historic background. "Wolyn (Volhynia) is historic region where poles and Ruthenians lived peacefully for centuries until 2nd World WarIn interbellum period in Poland unfortunately won the idea of unity - Ukrainians and Belorussians was to be assimilated into Polish culture (there was project of creating Polish, Belorussian and Ukrainian separated states in confederation) Ukrainians responded with violence. And film starts when this period is about to end. Firstly Russians witch to this date see Ukraine as "little Russia" in a derogatory way) and next Germans which promised own state to Ukrainians.Ukraine had seen Hitler as they savior in a way. Organisation born from this feelings decided that Wolyn must be ethnically cleansed to ensure Ukrainian nature of this region in future. "

Well, where to begin. Films about genocide, especially such touchy subject as Polish-Ukranian relations in 1939-1943 in the region of Wolyn, are not an easy treat. The very theme of mass murder and brotherly hate is never easy, so this epic film about mass atrocities of Poles in Wolyn leaves a very heavy heart. If you are afraid of ferocious scenes, blood, dismembered bodies, mutilated kids or burned villages, then don't. Don't try to watch this film. It is awesome, it is executed with a n utmost precision and the tempo is impeccable, but it is way too difficult to see all those horrible scenes and what is even more horrid is the fact that it's never going to be easier, but only heavier and gloomier and worse for main hero and her suffering family. I will not retell the events of this film, just want to say - be warned and watch this at your discretion, as this is a very very severe and naked fear film. It demands all your patience and certain amount of guts, yes, guts, since the bloody scenes are really frightening. Need I say more? This is a masterpiece, truly so.

Wow , I don't think I've felt as sad after a film . Immediately it made me want to learn more about the history surrounding this period of the war . First of all i'd warn you this film is graphic if you think about Rwanda you'll be prepared . Poland in the 20th century stood on the political and aspirational fault line between Germany and Russia and became the battlefield of those two opposing forces . It's history is intertwined with the rise and fall of the central and Eastern European empires namely Poland-Lithuania, Russia , Ukraine , Habsberg , Austria-Hungary , Nazi Germany , Naploeonic French Republic just to name a few and as a result the ethnic mix within its borders contains a volatile religious fault line between Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity . It's this fault line that provides the plot of the film . The script , costume , acting and cinematography all deserve praise . We start with the happiness of inter marriage weddings and the national songs that go along with that and end with destruction hatred and death , it's not a happy film but it's not a triumphant slice of history , it's a period of time that man should be ashamed of how sick he can become when encouraged to by those who wear the cloth of god and should know better .But it is an important film and I'm glad I've seen it but it really made me sad . It's definitely worth seeing but be prepared to lose your smile .