EASTERN FRONT
Defending their homeland from Russian aggression, the protagonists, along with the whole country, went to the Eastern Front
→ Premiered at Berlinale 2023
→ Exhibited in more than 25 festivals (Thessaloniki IDF, ZagrebDOX, DOK.fest Munich, Docs Barcelona, Yamagata Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights FF, FIPADOC Biarritz)
→ A powerful documentary giving voice to the courage and sacrifice of the Ukrainian people on the front lines of war.
PRODUCTION STATEMENT
Our film shows the war through the eyes of ordinary men. They have gone to defend their homes, their families – their homeland. Captured on video recorders and mobile phones, every day of this war is full of horror, despair, death, fear, and quiet heroism.
The “Eastern Front” has divided the lives of the young men and women who now fight for a free Ukraine – both before and after the start of hostilities. But not everyone who is fighting for their future in a free Ukraine will live to see that future.
SYNOPSIS
On 24 February 2022, Yevhen, together with his friends, volunteered to join the first aid battalion on the front line. They provided lifesaving support and evacuation of the injured. This film reveals the experiences of these young men over six months full of drama, despair, fear, hatred, bitterness, love, and, most importantly, faith in victory.
As they left for the front, they sent their families to the rear – to a village in western Ukraine. All of them come to this idyllic place for a couple of days to baptise the nine-month-old son of one of our protagonists. As soon as they rise from the celebratory feast, they have to go back to the front…
| Directed by | Vitaliy Manskiy, Yevhen Titarenko |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Braha Productions |
| Language | Russian, Ukranian |
| Location | Ukraine |
| Budget | 311673 dollars |
DIRECTOR
Yevhen Titarenko (1988), Odesa/Ukraine. Graduated from the Mykolaychuk Institute of Visual Arts in 2009 as film director. Volunteer in the Hospitallers medical battalion.
Vitaly Manskiy (1963), Lviv/ Ukraine. Graduated from the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography in 1989. Since then he has directed over 30 films which have been screened at almost every major festival worldwide
RELEASE
3rd February 2025
