“Princess Olha. The Real Story” (2025) is a historical documentary that explores one of the most enigmatic rulers of Kyivan Rus. Here, familiar legends from childhood collide with historical facts, and the image of a saint contrasts with chilling stories of ruthless revenge.

What is the movie “Princess Olha. The Real Story” about?

The story begins with the event that changed everything — the murder of Prince Igor by the Drevlians. After this, power falls into the hands of Olha, a woman who, according to chronicles, responded to her enemies with a series of brutal and carefully planned acts of revenge. Envoys are burned in a bathhouse, others are buried alive, and the city of Iskorosten, according to legend, is destroyed using birds carrying fire.

These stories sound like something between myth and a dark fairy tale, yet they shaped Olha’s image for centuries. At the same time, the church venerates her as a saint — a wise ruler who was the first among the Kyivan princes to adopt Christianity.

The film, together with Akim Halimov, gradually unpacks these contradictions: which parts are real events recorded in chronicles, and which may be exaggerations or symbolic stories that gained detail over time. Through analysis of sources, reconstructions, and different interpretations, a far more complex portrait emerges — not just of a vengeful woman or a saint, but of a powerful ruler acting within the harsh realities of her time.

At the center of it all lies a question with no simple answer: who was Princess Olha really — a ruthless avenger or a visionary ruler shaped into legend by history?

Where to watch “Princess Olha. The Real Story”?

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