Cuba and Alaska is unlike any documentary I have ever seen. The film follows two young, female Ukrainian medics as they courageously serve at the front lines of the war and pursue their “normal” lives at home with the energy and interests of any young woman.
The stark juxtaposition of carnage and cosmetics is confounding. One woman, Cuba, is kind-of goofy with a ready laugh. The other, Alaska, has braces and seems so young.
There are shots of them partying and mugging for the camera with their genuinely supportive male compatriots. The affection and camaraderie is striking. Cuba is also a fashion designer and, in one segment, goes to Paris for her show, with the attendant social media-fueled glamour captured in the film.
Interspersed with these scenes are the two of them having the most profound yet self-effacing and funny discussions about life and death and meaning of existence.
The filmmaking is highly stylized with a pulsating, hard rock soundtrack, striking visuals using helmet-cam footage and smash cut editing. Some shots are obviously set up. The film almost has the aesthetic of a young girl superhero movie. You may not like it as a result but it is a unique way to capture the fog-of-war, maybe for a younger generation.
The film shows again on Saturday, February 14, at 8:20 a.m. in the Film Center Auditorium #2 – CUBA & ALASKA
The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival takes place from February 4-14, 2026. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels and celebrity tributes are held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre and the new McHurley Film Center. Passes for the 2026 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.
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