You are here:
The Tram #9 Was Going

The Tram #9 Was Going

2002

Director

Stepan Koval

Runtime

10 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

A morning tram over-occupied with passengers, but more and more people are trying to get in there. Inside, the life fountains. Someone talks about their troubles with children, somebody experiences a personal trauma, others can not stand up to quarrel, neighbors discuss a TV-series... All the events where usually, at least in the days this cartoon was created, common Ukrainians are involved in on their way to job-places is shown in this curious, vivid and witty claymation.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.6/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film focuses on universal human struggles and interpersonal quarrels. There is no explicit mention of non-heteronormative identities or same-sex intimacy within the vignettes.

Gender Representation

Fair

Characters navigate messy social dynamics, such as troubles with children and personal traumas. This avoids idealized gender roles in favor of unpolished, realistic social interactions.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The animation centers on the lived experiences of common Ukrainians. This provides high cultural specificity and avoids the homogenized perspectives often found in globalized media.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The narrative prioritizes social realism and the chaos of the human condition. It explores shared, messy realities through discussions of TV series and public quarrels.

Disability Representation

Fair

It is unclear if neurodivergence or physical disabilities are central to the story. However, the claymation medium allows for exaggerated portrayals of emotional and physical states.

Strengths

  • Provides high cultural specificity by centering the daily lives of common Ukrainians.
  • Uses a collective ensemble to offer a nuanced, non-traditional narrative structure.
  • Employs claymation to potentially exaggerate and explore diverse physical and emotional states.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit representation of non-heteronormative identities or LGBTQ+ narratives.
  • Does not provide clear evidence regarding the inclusion of neurodivergent or disabled characters.
  • Focuses on universal struggles rather than specific, intersectional identity-based storytelling.

AI Analysis

Stepan Koval’s claymation film functions as a micro-sociological study of urban life. By utilizing a crowded tram as a confined setting, the film replaces a traditional hero's journey with a collective ensemble of diverse, interconnected characters. The work excels at capturing localized cultural identity and the unvarnished complexities of communal life. It trades sanitized storytelling for a vivid, witty look at the friction inherent in everyday human experiences. While the film lacks explicit evidence of intersectional identity politics or specific LGBTQ+ narratives, its strength lies in its commitment to social realism and regional specificity.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.