Nice ladies

A team of ageing Ukrainian cheerleaders hold on to their friendship as each navigates the trauma of war in her own way.

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?

 Writter/Director MARIIA PONOMAROVA

Producers ROGIER KRAMER, LAURA BOUWMEESTER, ALINA GORLOVA, MAKSYM NAKONECHNYI

Camera Sveta Aparina, Lola Mooj, Niels van Koevoerden

Sound Karina Rezhevska, Sophie van der Meer

Line Producers Anna Zobnina, Tessel Jonkers, Tetiana Suslik

Editor Annelotte Medema

Sound Design Kamila Vojcik

Sound mix Rosanne Blokker

Music Mykyta Moiseiev

Colour Grading Maryna Tkachenko

LABYRINT FILM

PRESENTS

IN COPRODUCTION WITH

TABOR PRODUCTION

MITTELDEUTSCHER RUNDFUNK

HUMAN

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

DR

SVT

WITH THE SUPPORT OF

NETHERLANDS FILM FUND

EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY FUND FOR UKRAINIAN FILMS & AMARTE FOUNDATION

National Dutch premiere Movies that Matter Film Festival

 International Premiere Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival