Film: Match In a Haystack

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Written by Ella Bowers for THE ARTISTS FORUM MAGAZINE
Edited by Amos White V for THE ARTISTS FORUM, INC
Photos: Courtesy of Dangerous Company, Amos White V, and Ella Bowers

REVIEWER RATINGS:
5 out of 5 stars

MATCH IN A HAYSTACK – WORLD PREMIERE AT VILLAGE EAST BY ANGELIKA

NEW YORK, NY (August 12, 2025) — On July 24th, Match in a Haystack premiered to an emotional audience at the Village East by Angelika, complete with red carpet interviews, a lively post-screening Q&A, and an afterparty at the Ukrainian National Home.

Few documentaries capture the resilience of the human spirit as vividly as Match in a Haystack — a powerful film about young female Ukrainian dancers and their pursuit to use dance to resist Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia. The film follows Yuliia Lupita, the creative mind and choreographer behind the project.

*Yuliia contemplates the destruction of a theater in this still from the documentary “Match in a Haystack” (Courtesy Dangerous Company)*

Like many, Yuliia was forced to stop dancing when Russia entered Ukraine in February 2022. After a year without dance, Yuliia decides to protest the tragedies being inflicted on her country, but in her own way. She gathers other dancers and creatives within Ukraine, and choreographs a dance production about war, made during war. She joins forces with Gala Pekha, another Ukrainian dancer, choreographer, and close friend. Together, they prepare for possibly the most personal and difficult piece any of them have ever put together. The film is a triumphant story about using creative expression to defend your culture, your freedom, and yourself.

*Yuliia Lupita visits a bombed out theatre in “Match in a Haystack” (Photo Courtesy Dangerous Company)*

*Choreographer Yuliia Lupita contemplates during a rehearsal in “Match in a Haystack” (Photo Courtesy Dangerous Company)*

The film, directed by Joe Hill, captures the dance and the women expressing it beautifully. It begins with an intimate interview of Yuliia, bare-faced and pensive as she explains why dance is necessary for her and her country. The idea began when she came across a decimated dance studio made barely recognizable by the war, reminding her of the severe effects the war has had on the arts. Rather than allowing the war to take even more, she decides to use dance to breathe new life into a space riddled with reminders of loss and tragedy.

Hill captures the women’s intimate emotional struggles amplified by rehearsals that sometimes pause for power outages and air raid sirens. Nathaniel Brown’s masterful cinematography reveals their emotions in colorful, blurred brushstrokes of movement, allowing their feelings to seep through the screen. Accompanied by Katya Richardson’s piercing original score, the film takes the viewer on a journey of heartbreak and triumph.

*Yuliia rehearses with her dancers in “Match in a Haystack” (Photo Courtesy Dangerous Company)*

Brown’s camerawork, edited by Arielle Sherman, combined with Katya’s score, creates an immersive, passionate, and uniquely visceral experience. The film is also produced by principal dancers Misty Copeland and Beverly Chase, alongside Leyla Fayyaz, Emmy Briggs, and Stefanie Noll.

A particularly powerful scene was of Nadiya Kupets as she danced freely and passionately in a stairwell. Watching Nadiya dance felt like a rare glimpse into how intertwined she is with the movement of her body, and the importance of it for her in this moment.

*Still from the documentary “Match in a Haystack” (Courtesy Dangerous Company)*

*Nadiya Kupets dances in a stairway in “Match in a Haystack” (Photo Courtesy Dangerous Company)*

One of the most insightful parts of the film was watching each woman grapple with what their individual role should be during this war as both creatives and Ukrainians. To Yuliia, dance is a necessary part of herself, but also a necessary way for her to grieve the reality of living in an active conflict. It is also a form of protest by choosing to live rather than simply survive. Other members, however, were not as convinced.

Gala, who’d been dancing her whole life, said that since the onset of the war, she hasn’t been sure she’s an artist and should be in a dance studio. Nadiya, whose sister serves on the eastern frontline, struggled with feelings of guilt for dancing while her sister is in active conflict. Nadiya visited her sister and in a heart-wrenching conversation, asked her if she should really be dancing right now. Her sister responded in a way that I think encapsulates what Yuliia was going for. She says the best thing they can do now is stay true to themselves and contribute in any way they can; for her, it means serving on the frontline, for Nadiya, it means dancing.

*Nadiya visits her sister on the front line to ask her if she is okay with dancing instead of joining the fight with her on the front lines (Courtesy of Dangerous Company)*

The film brought up a larger conversation about the value we place on the arts, and how we individually deal with war and loss. Dance, something that would typically be considered non-essential during a time of crisis, brought these women together into a moving production of resistance, strength, and connection.

The final dance performance – Cossachka, while not shown in full, was a semblance of color and light. It was evident how meaningful this moment was for these women and all the people who came out to see it. While it was difficult to not want to see the entire performance, it was a respectful directorial decision given that this moment was really for them, not us. What the viewer did take away, however, was the power of art to break through moments of intense pain and obstruction. Yuliia, Gala, and all other women involved, demonstrated to the world the immense resilience of the Ukrainian people, and the power of creative protest.

*A blur of color and movement as dancers perform “Cossachka” for the audience (Courtesy of Dangerous Company)*

Match in a Haystack offers a passionate, immersive exploration of identity, resilience, and truth, with moments that will stay with you long after the credits roll. It is as timely as it is personal, blending intimate storytelling with unflinching reportage.
After its run in New York City, the film continues its screenings in select cities. I highly recommend supporting this important, socially relevant project.