Kyiv-based filmmakers Maksym Sikalenko and Dasha Deriagina have joined forces to direct a feelgood performance promo for Cape Cod x Jamala. The video for Lito - meaning Summer - is breezy and textural, capturing an as-live performance with high-energy flair. And it is important to acknowledge the upbeat nature of the song and the video in the context of it coming from Ukraine, a country under attack for nearly four and a half years. Lito is the first single from Cape Cod's forthcoming fourth album – a gentle reminder that even in dark times, there is still room for warmth, memory and ordinary happiness."The video came together almost as quickly as Kyiv weather in early summer," says Deriagina. "Three days of preparation – just enough time to assemble a crew and get everyone to set."It was captured entirely on Kodak Super 8mm 50D and 16mm 500T, using an ARRI SR3 and a Leicina Special. The film was hand-developed and scanned by 14ft8in – currently the only team in Ukraine capable of completing the entire analogue workflow across every film format, a process that until recently meant sending rolls abroad."Developing everything by hand preserved the grain, imperfections and texture of the original negative, leaving images that feel lifted straight from the 1970s and 80s: less like footage, more like a faded summer memory."In a world of instant images, we chose something that had to be earned. Creating something joyful in a time of war feels quietly radical. Making it with the people I love – priceless. Thank you to my favourite filmmakers from Kyiv."The track and video encapsulate this process with heartwarming passion - choosing joy while the sirens continue. Choosing to make something beautiful, slowly, with the people you love. For Maksym, who continues to serve in Ukraine's Armed Forces, that choice carries even greater weight.
Rob Ulitski - 1 hour ago
