'Mavka: The Forest Song' Gets A Trailer

Ukraine has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Its animation industry has been on the up, however. Despite the challenging circumstances they find themselves in, Ukrainian animators are still hard at work to this day.

Mavka: The Forest Song is a new Ukrainian animated feature that is coming to UK and Irish cinemas this July. The film is inspired by Ukrainian and Slavic folklore. Mavka, a spirited nymph and the spirit of the forest, falls in love with Lucas, a local artist, in an enchanted forest. Their forbidden love faces opposition from disapproving spirits and Mavka's formidable father. As a dark force rises to threaten the forest, Mavka and Lucas join forces to save both their worlds.

The film is based on the play The Forest Song by Ukrainian playwright and poet Lesya Ukrainka. Animation Production is by Animagrad Animation Studio and Film UA Group. The directors are Oleh Malamuzh and Oleksandra Ruban. and the screenplay is by Yaroslav Voitseshek.

The film took seven years to complete and finally opened in Ukraine on March 2, 2023.  It set box-office records, even out-grossing Avatar: The Way Of Water in the country. Which is even more impressive when you remember it's in the middle of a war.

Dazzler Media will release Mavka: The Forest Song in UK and Irish cinemas on July 28. The film will be released both in the original Ukrainian language with subtitles and with an English dub.

Meanwhile in the United States, Shout Factory will release the film under their Shout Kids label, on DVD and digital download from August 15.

A new trailer has been released, which you can check out below.