Watch six Ukrainian documentaries and support filmmakers currently working in Ukraine
21–31 March, six Ukrainian documentaries are currently available for rent online. These films can contribute to our understanding of contemporary Ukraine, the social mobilizations of the past years, and the deeply troubled relationship between Ukraine and Russia. All rental fees during this ten-day period will be used to support documentary filmmakers who have stayed in Ukraine.
With the selection of six documentaries previously screened at Verzió, we have launched an online fundraiser for DocuDays UA, Ukraine’s biggest documentary festival. DocuDays UA began at nearly the same time as Verzió, and would have held their 19th edition this year. But, instead of organizing their annual festival, they are collecting and coordinating donations from all over the world to support documentary filmmakers who have stayed in Ukraine to document the war. These donations provide equipment, technical materials, and cover the filmmakers’ basic costs. With the help of community fundraising, they have managed to continue their work in Kyiv and other occupied cities, such as Kharkiv and Mariupol. Their mission is to capture Putin’s aggression, as well as the course and consequences of the war. We believe that such depictions will prove a determining and authentic source of information for generations to come.
A brief summary of the films:
Pit Nr. 8 (2010) is a recipe for survival in post-industrial Ukraine. The film takes place in Snizhne, where desperate people have been taking part in illegal mining in order to survive. A heart-wrenching story of children forced to grow up way too soon, without role models.
Ukrainian Sheriffs (2015) takes us to a remote village without a police force, where two men are in charge of protecting the village. A detail-oriented tragicomedy giving insight into the everyday lives of these men and their village.
With a Special Mention at the 17th Verzió, and an Award for Best Direction at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, The Earth Is Blue as an Orange (2020) takes us to Donets Basin in Eastern Ukraine, where an imaginative single mother and her four children begin filming to take their minds off the realities of the ongoing war.
In Euromaidan. Rough Cut (2014), young Ukrainian filmmakers anxiously reveal the way they saw the events of 2013/2014 to the whole world and their entire country, at all costs. Their desire to document gave them a unique vantage point in the protests that demanded a future for their country.
This Rain Will Never Stop (2020), screened at the18th Verzió, uses stunning images to illustrate the cycle of war and peace through a Syrian family’s escape to Ukraine. Should the protagonist flee from war, or should he help relieve the suffering of the locals?
No Obvious Signs (2017) is about a woman who returns from war as a major, and regularly sees a psychologist in Kyiv to fight post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Rental costs:
1,000 HUF / film
If you wish to rent all six films at once, there are four price/donation categories to choose from.
Rental period: 30 days (Once you have made your donation, you have 30 days to watch your film.)
Rental window: 48 hours (Once you have decided to view the film, and have pressed play, you have 48 hours to watch or rewatch the film.)
You can find more information about the Tickets and How it works.