Mavka: The Forest Song review

Slavic traditions elevates storytelling that occasionally flirts with convention.

Ukraine-based Animagrad Animation’s sophomore effort opens with one of those visually stylized prologues meant to convey the charm of a fairy tale book. Voiceover details an age-old rift between humans and beings who inhabit the woodlands. This conflict began when the former destroyed the forestland, resulting in a declaration from an elder guardian that outsiders are prohibited from re-entering.

That restriction is broken by a human musician named Lucas. But the young farmboy doesn’t have any ill will. Hoping to raise money for his ailing uncle, he’s recruited by a shrewd woman named Kylina, who has her own selfish plans for the woodland. Recalling the Romeo and Juliet-esque plotline from Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Pocahontas, romance ensues between Lucas and the newly appointed nymph guardian, Mavka.

Adults might find The Forest Song too obedient to formula. Beyond the requisite creatures that offer some slapstick antics, there are a trio of nymphs jealous of Mavka’s optimism, not far removed from Cinderella’s scheming stepsisters. But older viewers will inevitably draw some parallels to a land desperately striving to protect its cultural traditions against a militant enemy.

There’s a scene where a vulnerable animal becomes stuck in an abandoned trap that might suggest some of the disregarded ordinances left by a barbarous invader. Of course, some of this is serendipitous as mavka spirits have long been a part of Ukrainian folklore. Specifically, The Forest Song takes inspiration from Lesia Ukrainka’s 1911 play of the same name. Certainly, the film is at its best when it eschews Hollywood convention, offering throat-singing or a taste of Slavic mythology.

Naturally, younger viewers will probably overlook any conceivable geopolitical allusions to find a familiar plotline. Mavka and Lucas are relatable characters, thrust into a venerable disagreement that neither can relate to. Unsurprisingly, their growing affection nurtures the kind of emotional encouragement needed during this dilemma, endowing Forest Song with an indispensable message about love overcoming the harms of hatred. While the two leads are built around archetypes, they do demonstrate enough unconventionality to create a distinction from Disney and Dreamwork’s homogenous leads.

Perhaps one takeaway will be enjoyed by all audiences: humanity and nature enjoy a fragile but fertile relationship. Anyone who has watched Avatar knows that Hollywood can be heavy-handed with its environmental messaging. Animagrad Animation’s reminder might lack subtlety, but it’s a delightful improvement. Mavka: The Forest Song is at its best when its characters are out of frame. Here the camera soars over various forms of biological beauty, while Dario Vero and Maksym Berezhnyak’s soundtrack evokes splendor.

Mavka: The Forest Song is now available on DVD from Shout Factory