Ukrainian make-up artist Aliona Antonova had little thought when she fled her hometown the morning of the Russian invasion that she would quickly discover herself among the many stars on the world’s high movie pageant.
Antonova’s made-for-Hollywood odyssey to Cannes started at daybreak on Feb 24, with the primary bombs going off in Odessa not removed from her magnificence salon and make-up faculty.Now the 31-year-old single mum finds herself doing make-up for friends certain for the pageant’s vaunted crimson carpet.
“I imagine in my future,” she instructed AFP. “When I made a decision to come back right here, I did not know: would I’ve purchasers right here or college students? But I simply knew that I ought to come right here.”
Antonova’s story started that horrifying morning three months in the past.
“One day earlier than the battle began I used to be arguing with my uncle as a result of he instructed me the battle would begin quickly. I did not imagine him however I went to sleep and I felt one thing uncommon – it was worry,” she stated.
The subsequent morning at 6am her brother woke her with the information, telling her to arrange to flee the nation.
“I referred to as a taxi to verify on my salon and heard a bomb and was in shock,” she stated.
Although she hated to go away her house, staff and beloved metropolis, her fast escape to Moldova proved a smart resolution given the huge queues that quickly appeared on the border.
By probability, her four-year-old son Micha was already together with her mother and father within the Moldovan capital Chisinau for a household celebration.
Harnessing the ability of her 72,000 Instagram followers, she shortly landed work in western European international locations which had opened their borders to Ukrainians, doing makeovers and tutorials in cities like Brussels and Berlin.
Even again in Odessa she had set her sights on Cannes at some point as a result of “all stars are normally in America however it’s very distant – that is the closest place with so many stars” in a single place at one time.
She contacted native magnificence salons and the primary one she wrote to provided her a spot as a freelancer in the course of the pageant.
“I used to be in shock as a result of it was very simple,” she stated. “So simple that till the date to come back right here, I did not imagine that it could be true.”
“They had been so enjoyable!”
Staying optimistic
Stargazing on Cannes’ famed Croisette seaside promenade, she’s already noticed Julia Roberts and Anne Hathaway, in addition to Brazilian mannequin and actress Adriana Lima.
Antonova does not inform individuals she’s Ukrainian as a result of she does not need individuals to really feel sorry for her, until they ask.
“All these who know that I’m from Ukraine give help. They all the time ask, ‘How are you? How is your loved ones?’ That’s very variety,” she stated.
By charging as much as €300 (RM1,410) per individual for night make-up and in search of traders for her personal line of beauty merchandise, she’s hopeful of quickly flying Micha and her mom to Cannes to hitch her.
As far as what the long run will deliver, Antonova fights again tears, admitting the nervousness generally will get the higher of her.
“I feel the world is shocked at how courageous our individuals are,” she stated.
“I hope it should end very quickly. But anyway, when the battle is completed, it is going to be very onerous for our individuals to (rebuild) every thing.
“No one is aware of what’s going to occur tomorrow, however I wish to really feel mild and I’m attempting to be optimistic.” – AFP Relaxnews
