Today, there are many films and documentaries about the history of Ukraine and the struggle of the Ukrainian people for freedom. Find out more about what is really worth watching and the top 10 films about Ukraine

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Ukrainian cinema is becoming more and more popular, both inside the country and outside its borders. The full-scale war forced many Ukrainians to reconsider the nation's past, and also aroused interest in the state among foreigners.

Viewers are increasingly coming to cinemas to watch new Ukrainian films, and the American media provider Netflix is buying the rights to show many Ukrainian films and TV series.

Undoubtedly, a large part of attention is paid to documentaries that tell about the origin of the Ukrainian nation, explore history, traditions, culture, pay considerable attention to the Russian-Ukrainian war, life on the front line and in once peaceful cities.

We have collected a selection of 10 films that will be interesting to both Ukrainians and foreigners.

"DNA. Portrait of a nation" (director - Volodymyr Rybas)

The authors of the tape tell what defines Ukrainians and what allows us to carry our national identity through the centuries. As part of the film, a large-scale genetic study was conducted in the world's best laboratories. Both ordinary Ukrainians and famous personalities took part in it. In the second part of the project, the authors investigated the role of Ukrainian women in the formation of the nation. We recommend viewing both parts of the project.

"Golden September. Chronicle of Halychyna 1939–1941" (director – Taras Khymych)

After the signing of the "Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact" in September 1939, Soviet troops entered Western Ukraine and established their power there through repression. This documentary is dedicated to the history of life in Galicia on the eve and in the first years of the Second World War. The tape uses archival chronicles and interviews with eyewitnesses of those events.

Ukrainian. The Movie (director – Mykola Nosok)

The plot of the tape consists of 6 stories, which are combined into a single canvas. The heroes are not related to each other, but it is this difference that best reflects the diversity of the Ukrainian people. The film tells about the history and modern life of Ukraine.

"The Nightingale Sings" (director - Serhii Krymskyi)

Language is the history of a people, its worldview, it defines consciousness, creates a person and culture. The tape "The Nightingale Sings" is designed to tell every Ukrainian that language is a form of expression of national identity. The tape tells about the history of the Ukrainian language, refutes myths, and also analyzes the Ukrainian language issue based on the experience of other countries.

"Legacy of the Nation" (director - Oleksandr Tkachuk, author of the idea - Lesya Voronyuk)

Vyshyvanka is not only a material, but also a spiritual heritage of Ukrainians. The documentary film consists of 2 parts: the first part tells about the variety of ornaments, embroidery techniques and other regional features of shirt creation. The second part is the stories of people whose lives were changed by Vyshyvanka.

"Winter is on Fire: Ukraine's Struggle for Freedom" (director - Yevhen Afineevskyi)

The documentary is dedicated to the events of the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine in the winter of 2013-2014. The participants of the protests tell the chronology of the events: doctors, priests, artists. The film was shot by 28 operators. Netflix became the main distributor of the film, and the film also received the prize of audience sympathy at the festival in Toronto.

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"Maidan" (director - Serhiy Loznytsia)

The film shows the chronology of events from the peaceful protests at the end of 2013 to the bloody confrontation between protesters and law enforcement in 2014. The main feature of the film is the use of a static camera throughout almost the entire film. The world premiere of the documentary film "Maidan" took place within the program of the 67th Cannes Film Festival.

"Frost" (director - Sharunas Bartas)

A war drama dedicated to the events in Donbas. Filming took place on the front line, with the participation of Ukrainian military personnel who served there in 2017, as well as the local population. The protagonists of the plot are a pair of Lithuanian volunteers who deliver humanitarian aid to the occupied regions. The heroes understand how ordinary Ukrainians live in wartime conditions. This film is Ukrainian military reality through the eyes of Europeans. The tape uses real documentary monologues.

"War Notebook" (director - Roman Lyubiy)

A special and very unusual documentary film, which was edited from video recordings made on their own mobile phones by Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers. The main idea of the film is to demonstrate relationships between people and to show brotherhood as a separate phenomenon. The entire life and feelings of the heroes are on their records, which can be cut off at any moment.

"Invisible Battalion" (directors - Svitlana Lishchynska, Alina Horlova and Iryna Tsylyk)

The documentary is based on the stories of six heroines who served in the conditions of hostilities in the east of Ukraine. The plot of the film tells how women fight on the front lines, survive shelling and battles. The film reveals the role of women in wars and the chronology of war in general.

Ukrainian cinema is rich in interesting films that tell the world about current events in Ukraine, its history and culture. Look for the most interesting plot and explore the country.

We remind you! Ukrainian music artists are very popular all over the world. Find out more about which Ukrainian artists are most popular abroad in our article.

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