Stanislaviv, Poland, 1939. Sharing a large house, three families – Polish, Ukrainian and Jewish – overcome their prejudices through their shared love of music, and become fast friends. When the war breaks out, their bond is put to the test as both parents and children face the terror of deportation and death. Carol of the Bells movingly captures the devastation of war and Nazi and Soviet occupations, but is also a testament to the enduring power of friendship. Released during Russia’s war in Ukraine, director Olesya Morgunets-Isaenko’s film – a reflection on the resilience of the human spirit – takes on a new meaning.