The world has been aware of the war in Ukraine ever since Russia invaded its neighbor a few years ago. If the news channels haven’t let you forget more than 20 Days in Mariupol and Navalny, the last two Academy Award-winning documentaries won’t let people forget this unfortunate war. I, for one, haven’t forgotten, that’s for sure. The latest film about this subject is Porcelain War. 

The latest documentary from Ukraine is mainly about a woman. Anya, Man A drey, and their little dog Frodo. The film is mainly shot by men and women who are featured in it . This documentary goes back and forth between the lives of this trio and what they do, which involves carvings of porcelain into beautiful artifacts and real-time war scenes.  Featuring a group of average men turned into soldiers.

This documentary has some fantastic filmmaking styles. Sometimes, they use drone footage and other times it’s body cams. Most of the war sequences are shot in real time. It was pretty surprising to see the war transporting before my eyes. It’s hard to believe these normal guys and gal, Johnny dairy farmer, Kosar furniture sales manager, August home contractor, Printer, Diver and Anya who is in IT are thrust into a war for their homes and land. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.

Kharkov,  Ukraine is just 25 miles from the Russian border, but the difference between the beautiful countryside and the warlord building of the city is like night and day. Slava Leontyev and Brendan Bellovo used some nice ending and cinematography techniques to bring this film to the light of day. The cinematography captures the beauty of the countryside and its nature from animals and insects to flowers and fields. When the film follows the three leads, including the dog, it has an orange brownish hue to it. That’s to differentiate it from the grey ugly looking cityscapes. 

The film editing goes back and forth between these two sides of the story but also has some more flashing ending during a rifle sequence.  With a documentary, you have created some different styles to help it stand out. More often than not, the filmmakers let the viewers see the things these men and women see first hand. That’s enough film for me in any context. That’s probably why it got nominated for the Academy Award this year.

The thing about this film that I couldn’t stop thinking about was how interesting these people’s lives were. The porcelain art was fascinating, but that’s just one of the hobbies or interests these people have. The other thing is how despite unbelievable odds, these people find ways to keep going, and they never give up. They are full of ingenuity and tricks. I guess you have to find ways to keep going if you were them. I admire that from them.

Porcelain War is another Ukraine documentary that shows the hardships of war. Even though it also shows a beautiful side, you can’t help but be upset by what’s going on over there. Also, be proud of those men and women for continuing to fight for their homes, land, and what they believe in. You have to put a stop to people like Vladimir Putin, or he’ll continue to think he can do whatever he wants just because he wants to. Does it remind you of anybody else? This film deserved its Academy Award Nomination for Best Documentary.  Will it win the Oscar? That question remains to be seen. It’s a tough category to predict.

4 ½

Dan Skip Allen