I rarely send out those "you've got to see this!" e-mails, but it applies here. Simonova is the winner of the game show "Ukraine's Got Talent" for her transcendent skills drawing images in sand. You have to see to believe her skill moving the sand over the glass. Sometimes the transitions in scenery and profiles are quick and breathtaking: don't blink! The story--the German invasion of Ukraine during WWII--is moving. I've included a brief summary below to fill in some details of what Ukrainians call "The Great Patriotic War". Understanding the historical context of what Simonova is depicting helps explain why the audience is moved to tears. The music fits, especially the string rendition of "Nothing Else Matters" at the end. Amazing stuff. I can only imagine what she does with sand in 3D.
Please give this a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo [Some background on the story] Simonova’s winning real-time animation depicted the Nazi invasion of Ukraine in World War Two. It’s a poignant — and politically charged tale to relate on a talent show. One in four Ukrainians died by the end of that war. Simonova’s story begins with a couple sitting on a bench, holding hands. Soon warplanes appear and the idyllic scene is destroyed. Simonova replaces the scene with a woman crying. Then warplanes arrive again. A weeping widow morphs into a monument to an Unknown Soldier. The final picture she creates is of a mother and child bidding a sad farewell to a man with his hands pressed against the glass ... She moves the judges to tears as she subtitles the final scene "you are always near".
