Gar O’Rourke’s 10-minute documentary Kachalka showcases Kyiv’s legendary outdoor gym, in what is a very different reality to the horrendous situation currently unfolding in Ukraine.
Kachalka takes you into the heart of what is widely considered ‘the world’s most hardcore gym’, Kyiv’s enormous open-air Kachalka gym. O’Rourke’s film allows us to join the gym’s caretaker as he takes us through the enormous scrap-metal site, allowing us a glimpse into the unique community and ingenuity from which it was created.
Beautifully balancing seriousness and humour, Kachalka‘s greatest feat is its authenticity in capturing the universal themes of community, resourcefulness and friendship. Traits of the Ukrainian spirit which we are witnessing first hand on our news feeds everyday.
“Kachalka was made in Kyiv a couple of summers ago, in a moment in time which seems a far cry away from the tragedy which is currently taking place”, O’Rourke says. “Although this film shows a very different reality to what we are currently seeing in Kyiv and around the rest of Ukraine, I hope this short film helps to shine a light on the Ukrainian spirit and what makes it truly unique. The intention behind this film was to capture the incredible sense of community and ingenuity that exists at the heart of this Kyiv gym and I think this is something which speaks to the stories we are hearing from Ukraine in this present time”.
