90 min Since time immemorial, the vast Ukrainian forests have harbored countless secrets and unfathomable mysteries. They are home to wondrous mythical creatures dwelling amongst the ancient trees, faithfully guarding their sacred realm. Mavka is the Soul of the Forest and its newly chosen Guardian. Her primary mission is to protect the Forest and its sacrosanct Heart — the source of life itself — against any aggression or intrusion, including on the part of the humans. Lucas is an unassuming village boy, who has a great love of music and pours his talent into playing his wooden flute and dreaming of devoting his life to this passion of his (despite his uncle’s opinion that he has to get a “real profession”). And Lucas’s music does help bring about something truly remarkable: Mavka and Lucas meet and fall in love. From the start, their union is pitted against formidable odds, but the obstacles loom even larger once the avaricious Kylina arrives on the scene, claiming she’s a heiress to an old sawmill at the edge of the Forest and promising the villagers all the richest that industrial progress brought abroad. This serves as a façade to mask her true goal: to get a hold of the Heart of the Forest (with the selfish aim to stay young and beautiful forever) — the key to which is Mavka herself, who is already rendered vulnerable by her blossoming feelings for Lucas. To get to Mavka, Kylina wields Lucas as her weapon, and strikes anger and fear into the hearts of the villagers.