At the start of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian army secretly recorded and publicised telephone conversations between Russians fighting on the frontline and their families back home. Soldiers' confessions of brutal war crimes are juxtaposed with images of Ukraine's devastated landscape - bombed-out cities back in Ukrainian hands, flowers blooming amid the rubble. At the other end of the line, there are pleas to return home, or support for the violence caused by a distorted perception of geopolitical reality. A shocking documentary about Russia's murderous imperial project and its efficient propaganda apparatus, which has reached audiences in many festivals around the world.
About the film
Details
- Running time
- 1 hr. 35 min.
- Country, year
- Canada, France, Ukraine, 2024
- Genre
- Documentary
- Language
- Ukrainian, Russian
- Subtitles
- English, Lithuanian
- Age rating
- N-16
Credits
- Director
- Oksana Karpovych
- Screenplay
- Oksana Karpovych
- Producers
- Rocío Barba Fuentes, Giacomo Nudi
- More information
- www.imdb.com
Festivals and awards
- Special mention by the Ecumenical Jury
- Special Mention
- Award for Best Director in Competition
- FIPRESCI Award for Best Documentary and Silver Horn Award for Best Film on a Social Theme
Director
Oksana Karpovych
A filmmaker, author and photographer living between Ukraine and Canada, Karpovych was born in Kyiv, and studied cultural studies in Kyiv and production in Concordia University. Her debut documentary Don't Worry, the Doors Will Open won the New Vision Award in Montreal. In spring 2022, she collaborated with international journalists to report on events in Ukraine.