British-Ukrainian director Liakh imagines the suffocating life of an immigrant in London for Ukrainian-Canadian artist Question4Later.

The video for Eastern European 2 delves into the Eastern European experience in London and its struggles in this mixed-media piece. Photos of immigrant-owned London businesses and the artist’s childhood photos are intercut with live actions scenarios with Questions4Later - while eating, in a church, at the wheel of a car - being held in a chokehold in every scene he is in. 

A visual metaphor for the mental and financial strain experienced by many Eastern Europeans, and especially Ukrainians, in the past few years whilst struggling to survive in London, Liakh and his Ukranian DoP Ilya Maksymenko also recruited members of the Ukrainian grassroots MMA community ViBURNUM - who have made London their new home - to execute the chokehold in different scenes.

That adds another element of authenticity to what is a powerful, thought-provoking piece about the immigrant experience.