Nice Ladies

Mariia Ponomarova

With the recent escalation of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the seemingly unbreakable bond of a vibrant cheerleading team of 50+ year old women called "Nice Ladies" is challenged. They face impossible choices between motherland and grandmotherhood, between staying and leaving.

Core team member Sveta flees with her family to the Netherlands, while captain Valia and coach Nadia stay behind in the repeatedly bombed city of Kharkiv. Torn apart, the ladies try to keep contact to hold on to their sanity amid terror, heartbreak, and the plague of Sveta's survivor’s guilt.

Will the team be able to reunite, save their sisterhood, and find a common language through the emerging scars of war?

Credits

Director
Mariia Ponomarova
Producer
Rogier Kramer, Laura Bouwmeester
Year
2024
Country of production
Netherlands, The, Ukraine
Type
Documentary
Duration
92 minutes
Spoken language
English, Russian, Ukrainian
Subtitles
EN
Production company
Labyrint Film
World Sales
Cat & Docs
Dutch distributor
Cinema Delicatessen