Ukrainian filmmakers have mobilised provisions and resources for those who are filming the Russian invasion of their country. From food and gasoline, to bulletproof vests and power banks, necessities are being sent across to those who are documenting the ongoing war.
Darya Bassel, the organiser and producer of the Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, told Variety, “We’re trying to help our friends who are in Kiev, because there are a lot of filmmakers and journalists [who are filming] events.”
“The first goal of all this filming is just to collect evidence of the crimes that Russians are doing to us,” said Bassel, adding that the second goal is to create films, but that comes later.
She added that all the Ukrainian filmmakers that she knows are either filming in Kyiv or in the eastern part of the country.
Russian troops entered Ukraine on February 21, from the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, even before the launch of the large scale invasion on February 24.
Bassel and her family evacuated the capital city of Kyiv and relocated to the Western town of Chernivtsi. Three days later, she set up the provisions channel for her fellow filmmakers and journalists. Aside from sourcing food and supplies, they are also trying to organise people with cars to drive filmmakers from point A to point B and to source supplies from countries like Germany, Poland, and Romania, Bassel explained.
Apart from filmmaking groups, Bassel said there is a group of editors helping filmmakers in editing their material, while she helps connects the two.
Bassel is one of the producers of the film A House Made of Splinters, which won the award for best direction at the Sundance Film Festival this year. The children who were a part of the film were recently evacuated to safety.
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The film was to be screened at Bassel’s festival, which now stands postponed due to the war. “There is no one who would even watch it online right now, because people are either sitting in their basements, or they’re under really heavy attacks, or they are trying to help others escape or trying to leave the country,” she said.
She further added that she has received several offers from other festivals around Europe to host her selections, and has been sharing lists of recommendations with them.