In a new article for Time, Simon Shuster explores how our Oscar-nominated documentary "Porcelain War" brings a uniquely artistic perspective to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The piece beautifully captures how our film transcends traditional war documentation to reveal the powerful intersection of art, resistance, and human connection.
As Shuster notes, "The film connects with its audience in a register that only works of art can reach." This observation perfectly encapsulates what makes "Porcelain War" different from other war documentaries. Through the intimate lens of three artists in Kharkiv – Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov – our film reveals how creativity persists even in the darkest circumstances.
The Time article highlights our unique approach to documenting the war. Co-director Slava Leontyev shares his initial concern: "My main fear in making the film was that we would end up capturing something like a reportage." Instead, as co-director Anya Stasenko emphasizes, they chose to focus on something more profound than "blood and gore and violence."
Our film's success in this approach is evident in its accolades, including:
- Grand Jury Prize at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival for Best U.S. Documentary
- Academy Award Nomination for Best Documentary Feature
- American Society of Cinematographers Documentary Award nomination for Andrey Stefanov
The Time piece particularly celebrates how "Porcelain War" addresses what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky describes as the challenge of maintaining global attention on Ukraine. Through its focus on beauty and humanity, our film offers audiences a new way to connect with this crucial story.
At its heart, as Shuster beautifully describes, "Porcelain War" is both a testament to resistance and a love story, following our artists as they create delicate figurines while air-raid sirens sound overhead. These quiet moments of creation become powerful acts of defiance, preserving Ukrainian culture in the face of attempts to destroy it.
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