Carol of the Bells (2022) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language

2022 · 122 mins · Ukrainian

Directed by

Olesya Morhunets

Starring

Mirosław Haniszewski, Tomasz Sobczak, Andrii Mostrenko, Alla Binieieva, Janina Rudenska, Oleksandr Polovets

Inspired by the beloved Christmas song "Carol of the Bells," this film depicts the intertwined lives of three families—Polish, Ukrainian, and Jewish—in the city of Stanislaviv during a tumultuous period before and after the war. Their harmonious existence, filled with musical evenings and shared joy, is tragically disrupted by the Soviet occupation and the persecution of the Polish family. Later, the Nazi occupation of Ukraine leads to the decimation of the Jewish family. Amidst immense loss and suffering, the Ukrainian family bravely risks everything to protect their neighbors’ children and their own daughter, offering a poignant testament to hope and unity.