Resilience, courage and survival in the face of war
FILMS FROM UKRAINE
Donations help us keep entries free for UK’s marginalised filmmakers, charities and filmmakers from Ukraine.
It also helps us keep the screenings free of cost for millions of viewers from across the world.
Serge Krutsenko
They say that truth is stranger than fiction and the fate writes the script better than any author. “The Address on the Wall” was finalized only after being altered by Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine. This changed the lives of many European countries and radically destroyed the romantic imagination of what could happen to humanity in the beginning of the twenty-first century. Connecting the Babyn Yar massacre with the current tragedy, the film is a reflection on the past, and, at the same time, evidence of what is happening now…
Oleksandr Stupak
This film is a contemplation of life through the prism of war. It is a premonition of global world changes… and a hope for the prudence of humanity.
Human beings live in a world of memories, fears and passions, dreams and hopes. In our memories, we increasingly want to return to the world of childhood – summer, where joy and light reign, as opposed to cruel reality, loneliness and existentialism. But it is becoming more and more difficult to get into this world, to dissolve at least mentally in the sun’s glare.
This film is about man in nature and nature in man, about cyclicality, the beginning and the end – the path to eternity. Autumn is heading towards winter, and we are so eager for light.
Vladyslav Kalenskyy
Ukraine experiences tragedy every day. The film tries to draw attention to the impossibility of standing aside and turning a blind eye to the terrible destruction caused by russian attacks. Such criminal acts have no place in today’s world. If this is not stopped in time, our freedom will be at risk. The war continues and demands determination for a bright future for each of us.
Khrystyna Miskevych
It is always difficult to keep hope in restoring what we’ve lost. But it’s even more difficult to keep this hope while there is war in your country. The Life of a Green Roztochia, documentary was filmed during the second year of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine when the problem of biodiversity wasn’t among the most necessary in the country. Nevertheless, the staff of Roztochia Nature Reserve show that there is always hope even in the darkest days. The example of the Reserve’s staff initiative emphasized the importance of local actions towards saving species and restoring lost biodiversity. It is ironic that despite staff’s huge impact on climate change adaptation their work often remains unnoticed.
The story of «Zalyvky» marshes that were drained by the Soviet authorities in order to get more fertile land for agricultural purposes showcases that it’s never too late. With the help of caring people the wetland began to recover after a long time. What’s interesting is that used technology is not that expensive, it’s actually nature-based. The Reserve’s staff and local activists managed to stop the burning of peatlands and underground fires. It will take more time to restore the lost species, but activists are willing to continue the project.
The successful example of ecosystem restoration of «Zalyvky» marshes in Ukraine may help other lost ecosystems to be restored in the future by using the same technology.