The Road to Slavalachia

Logline

The Road to Slavalachia is a documentary about the international collaboration of folk musicians from Appalachia, Belarus, and Western Ukraine who became a global family despite all challenges.

Synopsis

The Road to Slavalachia is a full-length documentary about international collaboration, music, traditions, and the attempt to escape from reality by creating a new one. This film tells a story about musicians from the U.S., Belarus, and Ukraine, who are creating a unique musical project starting in 2019 based on their traditions and cultures. The documentary follows their 2-year "journey" to Slavalachia, an uncharted land that exists only in their shared creativity.
The film illuminates underrepresented or stigmatized territories and traditions (The Appalachian Region, Rural Belarus, and Western Ukraine). The emphasis of the film is centered around folk music as a universal language. The documentary will discover and discuss the differences and similarities of these cultures. The story of each musical group reveals a different stage in the existence of folk music; the disappearance of this art form in Belarus, the gaining popularity of folk music in the Appalachian region, and the continued prosperity of this art form in Western Ukraine. The musician's stories become intertwined. This film will contrast routine and everyday life with the creation process and magic of cross-cultural collaboration.

Slavalachia is also an example of deep friendship without borders. They help one another weather the burdens of war, dictatorship and loss that afflict some of our member nations to this very day. They are a transatlantic alliance of musicians who believe in the project of folk music as a source of wisdom from the past and of inspiration for the future.

The musicians travel to Belarus and Ukraine in order to understand ancient traditions and each other. They were dreaming about an album based on traditional songs for two years. Finally, they have managed to make it in 2021.

The musicians don't know whether it will succeed or what may come after. They are forging a new territory regarding the preservation, popularization, and experimentation of traditional music. The musicians are exploring what a "cultural revolution" means through music. The goal is to empower people to be proud of their cultures while at the same time experimenting with their traditions to revitalize them.

Producer's Note

The Road to Slavalachia is a full-length documentary (90 min) with a possibility of short docuseries production (up to 6 episodes of 45 minutes). Right now we have completed the filming process and moved to the post-production stage. We are looking for funding for post-production and distribution, as well as looking for international co-production partners and distribution agents. Our team has been filming for 2 years in Belarus, Ukraine and the US. We plan to have a premiere in April/May of 2022.