A Story of the Forest: Mavka (1980)
Mavka, a water nymph, loves Lukash, a country youth. Their brief happiness ends when Lukash is forced to marry the shrewish Kilina. The Spirit of the Forest turns Lukash into a wolf as punishment for his infidelity. The strength of Mavka's love breaks the spell, but Kilina curses the nymph, transforming her into a weeping willow. This beautiful and tragic story is based on a play written in 1912 by Lesya Ukrainka, a Ukrainian poet, writer and political, civil and female activist, and includes mythological characters taken from Ukrainian folklore.
Director:
Yurii Illienko
Writer:
Yurii Illienko
![]() |
Lyudmila Efimenko as Mavka |
![]() |
Viktor Kremlev as Lukash |
![]() |
Maya Bulgakova as Lukash’s Mother |
![]() |
Ivan Mykolaichuk as Uncle Leo / Wood Goblin |
![]() |
Boris Khmelnitsky as Red (forest) Demon |
![]() |
Viktor Demertash as Koots |
![]() |
Liudmyla Lobza as Kylyna |
![]() |
Nina Shatskaya as Water Sprite |
![]() |
Svetlana Sergeyeva as Meadow Fairy |
![]() |
Ivan Khodulin as Kylyna’s child |
![]() |
Pylyp Illienko as Kylyna’s child |
![]() |
Vladimir Fyodorov as Hunger Imps |
| Directing | Yurii Illienko | Director |
| Writing | Yurii Illienko | Screenplay |
| Camera | Yurii Illienko | Director of Photography |
| Sound | Anatoli Kovtun | Sound |
| Sound | Yevhen Stankovych | Original Music Composer |
| Writing | Lesia Ukrainka | Theatre Play |
| Art | Anatoliy Mamontov | Production Design |