--- title: "\"Chasing Two Hares. The 90s\": Filming of a comedy about the 1997 capital starts in Kyiv" description: "Filming has started in Kyiv for the comedy \"Chasing Two Hares. The 90s\", an independent film about the capital in 1997 that won the state program \"Thousand Springs\". At the center of the plot is a con artist with debts to criminals and a deputy." date: 2026-10-20T12:54:07.910Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/chasing-two-hares-90s-filming-starts-in-kyiv tags: [ukrainian-cinema, comedy-film, kyiv, 1990s-ukraine, film-production, state-funding] author: "Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # "Chasing Two Hares. The 90s": Filming of a comedy about the 1997 capital starts in Kyiv ![A person's hands hold a white plate with drawn hares and autographs of the cast and crew of Chasing Two Hares. The 90s](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/20/za-dvumya-zaytsami-90-e-v-kieve-nachalis-syomki-komedii/za-dvumya-zaytsami-90-e-v-kieve-nachalis-syomki-komedii-1.webp) ## Key Points - Filming has started in Kyiv for the comedy "Chasing Two Hares. The 90s", winner of the state program "Thousand Springs" - The film is set in Kyiv in 1997; the plot centers on a con artist in debt to criminal bosses and a deputy - Producer Serhiy Lavrenyuk emphasizes that the film is not a remake, but an independent story with metaphorical undertones - Directed by Arkadiy Nepytaliuk, with a script co-written by Liudmyla Tymoshenko - The State Film Agency and the Ministry of Culture confirmed support for the project at the production and distribution stages Filming has officially started in Kyiv for the comedy "Chasing Two Hares. The 90s", a project that transports viewers to the capital of the late 1990s. The team marked the beginning of work with the film industry's traditional plate-breaking ceremony, featuring drawings of two hares and the signatures of the project participants. The film became one of the winners of the state initiative "Thousand Springs", aimed at supporting the creation of Ukrainian cultural content. According to Wave RBC.UA, filming is already underway at Kyiv locations, with the creators facing a full production cycle all the way to theatrical distribution. ### Plot: A con artist, two brides, and debts to "mob bosses" At the center of the story is Slava Khvostov, a small-time con artist who finds himself in serious financial trouble. He owes money to both criminal bosses and influential deputy Ivan Ivanovich. To get out of the situation, the hero decides to marry Ilona Serkova, a wealthy heiress. However, the plan is complicated by the fact that Slava has already publicly promised his hand to Galia. Thus, a comedic story of cunning, double promises, and the temptation of personal gain unfolds before the viewer, intertwining money, feelings, and the desire to get everything at once. ### Kyiv in 1997 as a backdrop and a metaphor The action takes place in 1997, a period when Ukraine was searching for its own path, and money, connections, and ambitions often determined the rules of the game. The creators emphasize that the 1990s in their interpretation are not just a bright era with a recognizable atmosphere, but a time of forming new social rules and searching for Ukrainian identity. Producer Serhiy Lavrenyuk draws a parallel between the characters' behavior and the social processes that continued in the country until Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022: "Chasing Two Hares" in its new version becomes a metaphor for the desire to simultaneously move in different directions and the inability to make a final choice. ### Creative team and cast The comedy is directed by Arkadiy Nepytaliuk, who co-wrote the original script with Liudmyla Tymoshenko. The project's producer is Serhiy Lavrenyuk. According to him, the idea for the film arose while working on a previous project, when the team saw the 1990s as an opportunity to talk about the formation of independent Ukraine and the choice of its further path. Lavrenyuk also stressed that the new film will not be a remake of the cult movie "Chasing Two Hares": the team created an independent story, using the familiar plot only as a basis for a conversation about an important period. The cast includes Oleksiy Hnatkovsky, Karolina Mruruha, Olena Khokhlatkina, Rimma Ziubina, Serhiy Detyuk, Ivan Sharan, Mariia Krasnoshchok, Sofiia Leshyshak, Mykhailo Matiukhin, Roman Yasinovsky, Oleksandr Yarema, Lesia Samaieva, and Olena Uzlyuk. ### State support and context: Cinema during wartime The Head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, Andriy Osypov, noted that making films in wartime conditions requires significant effort, resilience, and readiness from filmmakers to work in difficult circumstances. According to him, the release of new projects demonstrates the desire of the Ukrainian film industry to survive and develop despite the challenges of the full-scale war. Osypov emphasized that the upcoming comedy is not a continuation of the famous film, but its modern reinterpretation. He specifically pointed out that the team started working on the film without waiting for funding and assured of the project's support by the Ministry of Culture and the State Film Agency at the production and theatrical distribution stages. ### What's next Filming for "Chasing Two Hares. The 90s" is already underway in Kyiv. Ahead for the team is the creation of a comedy that, according to the authors' intention, will combine love intrigues, the pursuit of enrichment, and recognizable features of an era that left a noticeable mark on the history of modern Ukraine. The premiere and theatrical release dates were not announced at the start of filming. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Деньги, аферы и две невесты: в Киеве начались съемки фильма "За двумя зайцами. 90-е"](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/culture/groshi-aferi-y-dvi-narecheni-kievi-rozpochali-1792498298.html) - The primary source contains all key facts: the start of filming, plot, cast, quotes from the producer and the head of the State Film Agency, and information about the state program "Thousand Springs". No discrepancies with other sources were found. ## FAQ ### Is "Chasing Two Hares. The 90s" a remake or sequel to the original film? No. Producer Serhiy Lavrenyuk and State Film Agency Head Andriy Osypov emphasize that the film is an independent story and modern reinterpretation, rather than a remake or sequel to the cult film "Chasing Two Hares". ### In what year is the film set? The action takes place in Kyiv in 1997 — a period when, according to the creators, Ukraine was searching for its own path and new social rules were being formed. ### Who is the director and scriptwriter? The comedy is directed by Arkadiy Nepytaliuk. The original script was written by him in collaboration with Liudmyla Tymoshenko. ### Does the film receive state support? Yes. The project became one of the winners of the state initiative "Thousand Springs". State Film Agency Head Andriy Osypov confirmed support from the Ministry of Culture and the State Film Agency at the production and distribution stages. ### When is the film's premiere expected? At the start of filming, the premiere and theatrical release dates were not announced. Filming is already underway in Kyiv.