Private Project

Glory To The Nation

A border control inspector’s morals are challenged after meeting a woman among countless war refugees.

Grigory, an inspector of the Ustinovka border control post, has been spending his miserable and lonely life mindlessly checking the documents of the passing-through citizens day by day. The number of people leaving the country is increasing daily, due to it being in a state of war. While all men aged from 18 to 60 lose their lives protecting their country, Grigory is the deciding factor in their wives’ and children’s successful escape to safety.

After the usual daily check-in with Anton, the sergeant assigned to the control post, Grigory begins the familiar procedure of checking the documents. While the majority of his work goes smoothly, the inspector must make tough decisions of declining the crossing of some people. His standard routine is interrupted by Daria, a young woman with the only spark of happiness Grigory has seen among the line of devastated citizens.

The young woman becomes the only thing he can think about. Not only Daria reveals she is a medical worker who does constant runs through the border, but she also leaves him a token – a sunflower from her bouquet. Grigory awaits to see Daria again the next day, the last time she will be crossing before leaving her home forever.

The inspector comes back the next day to his mundane working environment with a single change – a sunflower on his desk. The very first person to enter the post is Daria. At first, Grigory is excited to see her again, but his dreams quickly crash after she reveals her husband is following her and begs the inspector to let him pass through.

Grigory must make a tough decision between strictly following the rules and fulfilling Daria’s wish. Will he violate his principles and change the life of probably the only person he cares about?

  • Danil Pervukhin
    Director
  • Danil Pervukhin
    Writer
  • Luke Resser
    Writer
  • Sean Van Wickle
    Producer
  • Evan Vihlen
    Key Cast
    "Grigory"
  • Mallory Ivy
    Key Cast
    "Daria"
  • Bryson Bonta
    Key Cast
    "Anton"
  • Ronin Molashi
    Key Cast
    "Kirill"
  • Elliott Wood
    Key Cast
    "Seargent "
  • Donald Ome
    Key Cast
    "Andrey"
  • Will Gehring
    Director of Photography
  • Jake Bell
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 47 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 6, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Blackmagic RAW
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Savannah College of Art and Design
Director Biography - Danil Pervukhin

Danil Pervukhin left his home in Kyiv, Ukraine to study film and television in 2019. The transition from Ukraine to the United States was a culture shock that Danil had to adapt to quickly. Both the environment and work he was now pursuing had to be conquered in this foreign country if he wanted to flourish. He had no prior experience working in film at home, so he had to learn everything from scratch and fast.

While Danil was laying the foundation for his future in the United States, in 2022, Russia invaded and occupied parts of Ukraine. A major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War. About 8 million Ukrainians were displaced within their country by June, and Danil had to watch this alone, on the other side of the world. He lost everything he had there. It was nerve-racking and motivating for him then. And it's still motivating for him now. It solidified in his mind, he has no other choice but to succeed in what he loves to do.

Glory To The Nation, Danil's directorial debut, is heavily inspired by the devastating events happening on the territory of his home country. Being an international student away from home during the escalation of the military action, from time to time made him feel like he had betrayed his family. That is why he decided to start working on Glory To The Nation, a film that would communicate what abandoning feels like for Danil and millions of Ukrainians.

But Danil didn't start with directing. In Ukraine, he studied electrical engineering and himself using that skill set in film in the US. The lighting department is where Danil shines. He has gaffed on a couple dozen projects including various short-form projects like commercials, music videos, and photography sets, as well as TV shows and even a feature film. He also has experience in acting, photography, editing, and modeling. Eager to learn, he tries to get experience in multiple roles while actively working in the lighting and grip department.

Danil loves to travel and explore nature and other cultures in his free time. He tries to go camping and hiking as much as possible and will often choose to spend time outdoors over anything else. Danil also likes soccer and hasn’t missed a single World Cup game since 2012. He has also been a part of the National Ukrainian Bowling Team for over 5 years and competed on a collegiate level during his studies in the US.

Danil has graduated with a BFA in film and television from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He is working hard to get recognition and exposure in the film industry and hopes to continue telling and sharing his stories with the rest of the world. Danil has just started a production house company that will soon offer a variety of services including equipment and studio space rentals and hopes that the company will eventually grow to be recognizable all over the US and the world.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

When I started writing Glory To The Nation, I was heavily inspired by the devastating events happening on the territory of my home country, Ukraine. Being an international student away from home during the escalation of the military action, from time to time made me feel like I have left and betrayed people I care about. Why do I deserve to not be woken up by sirens at night? To be in my own home without the fear of it disappearing one day? Why do I get to see the sky, clear of smoke and missiles, every time I look up?

I believe that I have been blessed with a chance to tell this extremely important story. Glory To The Nation is a story about hope. But not the kind of hope when you sit around waiting on a miracle to happen and for everything around you to magically work out. It is about the hope that your endeavors, struggles, and bravery will eventually pay off. Just like myself, the protagonist of the story, Grigory, realizes that it is impossible for him to change the course of the war, to change everyone’s lives. However, he has the power of changing one life at a time.

If by telling this story I can change a singular life, then I will know it was worth it all along.