Unbroken

Throughout my journeys across many countries I have had the chance to talk to people who have nothing in common among them. Different nationalities, skin complexions, cultural heritage, religions, social status, and ages somehow subconsciously merged together in my mind to fall under a single definition. I have formed a clear idea, nobody wants war.

However simple it may seem, in these days of geopolitical turmoil and cheap populism mixed with manipulation, where the powerful favors the weak just to tie the latter even closer and get drunk on his power, it is harder than ever to stay humane.

An Italian painter, an Israeli jewelry salesman, a Greek farmer, an American banker, a Japanese fisherman, all of them share the same dreams, goals, and aspirations. They also share fears and sorrow. I am talking, of course, about the direction of the general thought that walks beside us from birth to death. Looking into the eyes of each one of those I have mentioned, seeing their identical smiles, I have got convinced that we are all the same nation called mankind.

I was introduced to the world of figure skating by my wife who is one of the characters in the movie. First and foremost I wanted to tell a story of ordinary guys not focusing on their superstar athlete status. I was trying to tell the stories of each one of them in a short time span to the best of my abilities. This is why I have never wanted this to be a sports movie. Figure skating is just a part of each one of the characters’ lives and a means to convey the story. They might look different at first glance but they clearly share a goal. The first notes of the music for their routine is a call to arms. Watching these Russian and American youngsters who compete on the ice and, despite all of the propaganda, find a chance to share a laugh, inspire and support each other, I realized that borders are not formed by maps in school classes but rather by people who are devoted to what they do while keeping their faith in kindness and support for each other. This realization alongside the notion of universal ideas inspired me to work on this project.

Hopefully, we have managed to tell an honest story so that the viewers could see real people as opposed to pretty silhouettes we see during tournaments. We will show the backstage of the figure skating world and guide you through everyday training. New and upcoming athletes may feel close to the characters and find new inspiration.