The story of two childhood friends from a remote village in Polissia, who move to Kyiv in search of a better life. Petro quickly achieves career success, while Andriy is content with his job and “vegetative lifestyle.” Everything changes after the sudden, mysterious death of Petro. Andriy continues his friend’s work, delving deep into both the professional and personal life of his late friend, who, even after death, does not let go of his companion.

“Amulet” is based on the novella “Lone Wolf” by Volodymyr Drozd (originally titled “Vovkulaka”) and is one of the rare horror films in the history of Ukrainian cinema. The phantasmagoric events of the film unfold in Polissia and Kyiv on the brink of independence. Alongside the mystical and horror elements, the film incorporates aspects of socialist realism, absurdist comedy, post-Chernobyl eco-reflection, and documentary footage. This blend contributes to the film’s multilayered nature, complicating its narrative. It portrays the struggle between village and city, the “wolfification” of Soviet society, the arrival of the era of “unexpected opportunities,” and the story of an ordinary person who gradually loses not only their roots but also themselves.

“Amulet” is the final film by director Mykola Rasheiev, who spent most of his career making comedy and tragicomedy films, with his most famous work still being the musical television film “Bumbarash”. “Amulet” can be considered the most unconventional and unique film in his filmography, and at the same time, the one with the most tragic fate, as the film was never released for general distribution, being shown only at a few film clubs and late-night on television.