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Makeup artist who fled Ukraine war takes part in Cannes, says 'Everything looks like is it all true?'
"One day before the war started I was arguing with my uncle because he told me soon the war would start. I didn't believe him but I went to sleep and I felt something unusual -- it was fear," she recalled.
Miracles do happen! At least so is the story of Aliona Antonova, a makeup artist from Ukraine, who fled the war-torn country after the fateful events of February 24 when Russia announced "special military operations" in the country. Little did she know that after fleeing Ukraine she would find herself among the biggest stars of the world's top film festival, yes! you heard that right - Cannes.
Her ‘straight-out-of-a-book’ story (with the maximum drama) began on a frightening morning three months ago, a chapter that has changed the lives of millions of Ukrainians.
"One day before the war started I was arguing with my uncle because he told me soon the war would start. I didn't believe him but I went to sleep and I felt something unusual -- it was fear," she recalled.
The worst fears came true when they woke up to the news the next morning, with her brother telling her to prepare to flee the country. "I called a taxi to check on my salon and heard a bomb and was in shock," she told AFP.
While she hated to leave her home and the beloved city, she had to make a tough decision – albeit a wise one- of escaping to Moldova. By chance, her four-year-old son Micha was already with her parents in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau for a family celebration.
She used her social media handle on Instagram and quickly landed work in western European countries which had opened their borders to Ukrainians, doing makeovers and tutorials in cities like Brussels and Berlin.
“2.5 months later I'm in Cannes, and now everything looks like “is it all true?” she writes (lossely translated) on her Instagram handle, which has a following of over 72,000 people.
Even back in Odessa, she had set her sights on Cannes one day because "all stars are usually in America but it's very far away -- this is the closest place with so many stars" in one place at one time.
Since she set up shop she's been doing a brisk business, with the protagonists of the Netflix documentary "The Tinder Swindler" among her favourite Cannes clients. "They were so fun!"
Starstruck, she's already spotted Julia Roberts and Anne Hathaway, as well as Brazilian model and actress Adriana Lima.
"I believe in my destiny," she told AFP.
Speaking about what the future holds, Antonova admits to fighting back tears, but sometimes the anxiety gets the better of her.
"I think all the world is surprised how brave our people are," she said.
"I hope it will finish very soon. But anyway when the war will be finished, it will be very hard for our people to (rebuild) everything.
"No one knows what will happen tomorrow. Now I'm on my way but I want to feel light. I'm trying to be optimistic."
(With agency inputs)
