A black square on a white canvas changed the course of modern art. But who was the man behind it? In MALEVYCH, director Daria Onyshchenko explores the life of Kazymyr Malevych, the Ukrainian-born avant-garde artist whose radical ideas challenged the boundaries of painting and the expectations of his time.
Moving between different periods, the film follows Malevych’s artistic experiments, his fierce rivalry with fellow pioneer Volodymyr Tatlin, and his struggle to remain independent as Soviet authorities tighten their control over culture. His search for a new visual language leads to the creation of Suprematism and the iconic Black Square, while political repression and the devastating famine in Ukraine force difficult questions about art and responsibility. A parallel story set in present-day Ukraine connects his legacy to a new generation. Blending historical drama with playful, sometimes surreal imagery, MALEVYCH brings paintings into motion and portrays an artist determined to imagine a world beyond the limits imposed on him.