Ukrainian documentary cinema during the Russian-Ukrainian war: strategies and perspectives

Violeta Demeshchenko
Institute for Cultural Research, National Academy of Arts

ORCID ID 0000-0001-8296-4628

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37627/2311-9489-28-2025-2.89-98
Keywords: documentary film, reportage, information, journalism, real events, war.

Abstract.

This article examines the features of the development of Ukrainian documentary cinema during the largescale invasion of the RF on February 24, 2024 and outlines the main strategies and prospects for the further development of documentary film in Ukraine.

Ukrainian documentary cinema constantly documents and films Russian war crimes, telling the stories of ordinary civilians about the genocide of the Ukrainian nation by the invaders, and at the same time gives examples of the extraordinary courage and heroism of the Ukrainian people.

War journalists, while on the front lines, shoot films and reports, which gives them the opportunity to tell the international community about the real events of this devastating war, Ukraine documentary film has become a frequent participant and winner at prestigious international film festivals, and today this is one of its strategies to present itself on international platforms and venues.

The participation of Ukraine film production at international festivals is a great opportunity to demonstrate the potential of Ukrainian cinema, it is also a new start for new creative projects and the further development of Ukrainian documentary cinema.

Author’s biography

Violeta Demeshchenko, Ph.D. (Theory and History of Culture), associate professor, head of the Department of Cultural Anthropology, Institute for Cultural Research, National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, Kyiv

vio150569@gmail.com

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PDF (in Ukrainian)

The article was received by the editorial office on 18.12.2025.
The article was accepted for publication after review on 27.12.2025.
The article was published on 31.12.2025.

Vol 28 No 2 (2025)

Section: UKRAINIAN CULTURE.