Bombs Bursting in Air

Amidst the Coney Island backdrop of fireworks on July 4th, 1949, Della, a battered, young black woman leaves her husband in pursuit of a brighter future. Her courageous journey leads her to find an unlikely ally named Mishka, on the white side of town. Though their paths cross in the darkest of times, through truth, they find a way to unearth the light in each other.

  • Lidiya Korotko
    Director
  • Sydney Sainte
    Writer
  • Lidiya Korotko
    Producer
  • Brian P Clark
    Producer
  • The Angel
    Producer
    Boiler Room
  • Yuriy Karnovsky
    Producer
    The Rising Hawk
  • Sydney Sainte
    Key Cast
    "Della"
  • Andrew Ramaglia
    Key Cast
    "Mishka"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    23 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 28, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Lidiya Korotko

Lidiya Korotko was born in Uzbek SSR and her passion for storytelling bloomed at the tender age of 4 years old during a New Years Eve Recital. She received her BFA in Theatre Design and Technology from the University of Central Florida and then pursued the craft of Acting at The Meisner Technique Academy in San Francisco. As a writer/producer, her first film “Mila, Dear to All” premiered at the Miami International Film Festival, and won multiple awards including Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Film. Bombs Bursting in Air is her directorial debut, and she is forever grateful to her writer Sydney Sainte for having the privilege to direct such a hauntingly beautiful story.

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Director Statement

From the moment I read the script, Bombs Bursting in Air was a love at first sight. Writer, Sydney Sainte, created characters that are complex and multi-faceted, each challenged by the effects of the oppression of the time. What inspired me to tell this story, is that even though it takes place in 1949, it is still relevant today.

I was moved by the story of a woman of color, Della, who has the inner strength to know that she deserves a better life. Her husband, Harry, a WWII veteran, returned home from the European front lines, a disillusioned, broken and disenfranchised man. His alcohol abuse has driven Della to leave and pursue happiness on a courageous, solitary journey. Della has a chance encounter with Russian Jewish immigrant, Mishka, another WWII vet, who suffers from severe PTSD. Mishka has been forced to hide his true identity from the outside world in order to fit in. These underdogs form a bond maintaining their humanity and dignity despite the odds stacked against them.

In preparation for the shoot I dove deep into research. For our production design, I drew my inspiration from Barry Jenkins', If Beale Street Could Talk, and Steven Knight's, Peaky Blinders. I wanted those rich bold colors and wide camera angles. My DP and I quickly settled on Red Monstro to give us that 2:1 wide aspect ratio. I picked my dominant thematic colors to be the shades of mahoganies and blues; mahogany to represent the fire and will to live that burned so brightly in Della's heart, and blue to represent the struggle and melancholy of our male characters, Harry and Mishka. I scouted for over two months to find locations in Los Angeles that could not only pass for Coney Island, but be authentic to the era.

As a filmmaker, Bombs Bursting in Air has motivated me to continue to tell poignant stories that relate to our modern society, stories that inspire us to live in solidarity and camaraderie and to continue to choose empathy over apathy.