Pulse

Pulse follows the emotionally charged journey of Oksana, a talented young Ukrainian athlete from a modest provincial town, who aspires to compete on the world stage at the Olympic Games. As a promising sprinter, she trains with dedication, supported by her family and coach, gradually ascending in local and national competitions. Her trajectory seems set—until a tragic and violent car accident abruptly shatters her life. Oksana suffers multiple traumatic injuries, the most debilitating of which is a severe loss of vision, rendering her nearly blind.

The film chronicles not only the physical devastation caused by the accident, but also the psychological and emotional aftermath. Initially plunged into despair, Oksana struggles with the profound disorientation of a life suddenly redefined by disability. Medical professionals deliver discouraging prognoses, and the dreams she once held with conviction seem irretrievably lost. Family dynamics also come under strain, as her loved ones attempt to support her without fully understanding her internal battles. The film uses visual and sonic techniques to reflect Oksana's altered sensory world, immersing the viewer in her experience of partial blindness.

Yet amid this darkness, the narrative pivots on a crucial internal decision: Oksana refuses to accept the limits imposed on her by circumstance. With the help of a dedicated coach, and through incremental, painful effort, she begins to train again—this time as a Paralympic athlete. Her journey is marked by setbacks, humiliations, and doubt, but also by unexpected sources of strength and resilience. The film presents training not only as a physical discipline, but as an act of self-reconstruction: a method by which Oksana rebuilds both her body and her identity.

As she advances through national trials and earns a place on Ukraine’s Paralympic team, the narrative culminates in her participation at the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing. Her performance on the track becomes more than a contest of speed—it becomes a symbolic reclamation of agency, purpose, and visibility. In its final act, Pulse reaffirms its central thesis: that determination, dignity, and the refusal to succumb to despair can propel an individual beyond even the most devastating limitations. The story, grounded in the real-life achievements of Paralympic champion Oksana Boturchuk, underscores broader questions of representation, perseverance, and the redefinition of heroism in post-Soviet Ukrainian culture.

• Nataliia Babenko – Oksana
• Viktoriia Levchenko – Olena, Oksana’s sister
• Nataliia Dolia – Mother
• Oleksandr Kobzar – Father
• Stanislav Boklan – Coach Vitalii Sorochan
• Liliia Rebryk – Coach Iryna
• Akhtem Seitablaiev – Doctor
• Roman Yasinovskyi – Dmytro
• Maksym Samchyk – Maks
• Serhii Luzanovskyi – Serhii

• Dariia Barykhashvili – Anna

Filming for Pulse began in Kyiv in March 2019. The second production block took place in July, and the final stage of shooting was completed in September of the same year. Although the narrative is primarily set in Ukraine, the pivotal turning point for the protagonist—Oksana—takes place at the Paralympic Games in Beijing. Filming locations included various sites in and around Kyiv, notably in Brovary and Ukrainka (Kyiv Oblast), which served as stand-ins for both domestic and international settings.

Oksana Boturchuk herself played an active role in the development of the project. She served as a consultant to screenwriters Yaroslav Voitsekhek and Maksym Chernysh during the scriptwriting process, ensuring narrative authenticity and factual accuracy. In addition, she worked closely with the cast and production team to help realistically portray the physical routines of professional athletes, as well as the specific motor functions, behaviours, and psychological nuances of a person who has experienced partial vision loss. Her involvement contributed significantly to the film’s credibility and emotional depth, grounding the dramatized narrative in lived experience.

Nataliia Babenko, who portrays Oksana Boturchuk in the film, undertook specialised preparation during the production process. She consulted with professional running coaches and trained regularly in the gym to develop the appropriate physical condition required for the role. This preparation was aimed not only at achieving athletic credibility on screen but also at gaining a deeper understanding of competitive running and the physical discipline it entails, thereby enhancing the authenticity of her performance.

According to Anastasiia Sokhach of the Ukrainian portal ITC.ua, the film’s strongest elements include the performance of Nataliia Babenko, the cinematography by Yurii Korol, and the meticulous approach taken by director Serhii Chebotarenko in realising the project. However, the reviewer also criticises the film for its weak dialogue, a somewhat one-dimensional portrayal of the protagonist, and the artificiality of both the romantic and familial narrative arcs. In Vesti, reviewer Oksana Honcharuk highlights the film’s vivid and well-selected cast. Meanwhile, journalist Serhii Lukianenko of XSPORT summarised his view by stating: “If we’re speaking of overall impressions, then with all due respect, the film is not impressive. It is good. Just good. Not outstanding, not remarkable.” The television programme Vikna-Novyny praised Stanislav Boklan’s performance in particular. On the French platform Homepopcorn.fr, James Domb noted that the film does not revolutionise the genre of the sports drama, but commented that “it is nonetheless a pleasure to watch, thanks especially to the commitment and charm of actress Nataliia Babenko.”