In the Rearview is an authentic, intimate observation of war as it unfolds, following multiple
generations of Ukrainian civilians as they abruptly abandon their homes and rely on the help
of director Maciek Hamela’s volunteer aid van to escape the life-threatening conflict. As he
steers through minefields to leave Ukraine and tries to get through numerous military
checkpoints, Hamela offers us a seat in his car, guiding the documentary from behind the
wheel and behind the camera, crisscrossing the roads of Ukraine to transport uprooted
refugees safely to Poland. The van traverses tens of thousands of kilometers and serves as
a waiting room, hospital, shelter, and zone for confidences and confessions among
compatriots thrown together by chance. In the Rearview is a collective portrait composed of
an array of experiences of Ukrainians who share a single goal: finding a safe haven in the
2 throes of conflict. With temporary asylum granted to all passengers, their differences in
gender, age, skin tone, physical condition, origin, identity, worldviews and faith become
irrelevant. While the war itself remains in the backdrop, its reflection and impact are evident
and raw.