Leaving their civilian lives behind, two young Ukrainian women enrol in the army as military paramedics. There they find violence, pain and sadness, but also friendship, love and dreams of a life without war.
Both Alaska and Cuba volunteered for military service and work as partners in the same unit, serving in the middle of the war-torn, desolate East Ukraine. Despite being very different, they became close friends. Director Yegor Troyanovsky filmed their lives since the summer of 2022, capturing both moments of respite and joy during rotations and the stark horrors of war, where battles against death and the loss of comrades cast long shadows.
Cuba and Alaska have faced challenging tests of fate. Alaska was injured in 2023 after an attack by Russian drones. She had to undergo more than six months of rehabilitation. Step by step, she learned to walk again and is now back on the frontlines.
For Cuba, her promise to avoid romantic entanglements with her male colleagues was both a personal rule and a shield against the fear of losing loved ones in the war. However, love knows no boundaries or timing. In the spring of 2023, she fell in love with Shepa, a fellow soldier. They planned to marry in August, but in July of the same year Shepa was killed in battle.
Amidst this grim reality, dreams of a peaceful future become more and more elusive. Yet, Cuba and Alaska demonstrate remarkable resilience despite the scars they carry. More than a war film, ‘Cuba & Alaska’ is a documentary about the longing for a life without war.