Calypso (2025)★ 10.0/10

Zakhar Shestiaiev’s short film Calypso is a prime example of how the “John Carpenter mode” (a complete lack of budget) can actually work in favor of a movie. This short, an interpretation of the ancient Greek myth about Atlas’s daughter Calypso, vividly explores the theme of unrequited love. Everything in it feels right: the cinematography blends the traditions of both modern and classic masters, while the film’s color palette (subjectively) underscores the tragic weight of the story.

The absence of dialogue, the originality of its delivery, the mix of timeless and contemporary context, and the use of music (which gives it the air of a silent film) — these are precisely the qualities a movie in 2025 should have.

I truly hope this young filmmaker becomes a beacon for the renaissance of Ukrainian cinema.