Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
Description
This on-the-ground document of the Ukrainian civic uprising that unfolded over three months in 2013 and 2014 and ended with the departure of President Viktor Yanukovych melds you-were-there footage with subsequent testimonials from witnesses and participants to create a visceral portrait of historic events and the individuals who made up a popular movement. Director Evgeny Afineevsky deployed multiple camerapeople to cover the unfolding events from the initial semi-spontaneous peaceful demonstration in Independence Square following Yanukovych’s move away from accord with the European Union through the state’s violent deployment of special police forces against the protesters and the resulting shocking escalation of violence. University students, activists, journalists, clergy and a memorable 12-year old all lend their voices while risking their lives to face down their own government. Eschewing political analysis, Afineevsky skillfully manages multiple perspectives and stories, adding in explanatory graphics to create a coherent and vital rendering of history unfolding moment to moment.
Evgeny Afineevsky was born in Kazan, Russia. As a teenager he won a filmmaking prize that set him on the course to become a filmmaker. His first feature film was the comedy Ov Vey! My Son Is Gay for which he also wrote the screenplay. He has also directed the documentaries Divorce: A Journey Through Kids’ Eyes and Pray for Ukraine. Afineevsky considers Winter on Fire “a cinematic monument to heroes.”
Trailer
//www.youtube.com/embed/RibAQHeDia8Film Details
Language Russian, Ukrainian, English
Year 2015
Runtime 102
Country Ukraine/USA/UK
Director Evgeny Afineevsky
Producer Evgeny Afineevsky, Den Tolmor
Editor Will Znidaric
Cinematographer Alex Kashpur, Andriy Havryshchuk, Arturas Morozovas, Constantin Shandybin, Damian Kolodiy, Dmytro Patyutko, Eduard Georgadze, Galyna Sadomtseva-Nabaranchuk, Halyna Lavrinets, Ielizaveta Smith, Inna Goncharova, Kirill Kniazev, Kostyantyn Ignatchuk, Lizogub Khrystyna, Maxim Bernakevich, Maria Komar, Oleg Balaban, Oleg Tandalov, Oles Chernyuk, Pavlo Peleshok, Ruslan Ganushchak, Vyacheslav Tsvetkov, Viktor Kozhevnikov, Vladimir Makarevich, Vyacheslav Poliantcev, Vyacheslav Tihonsky, Yuriy Krivenko, Zhenya Shynkar
Music Jasha Klebe
Print Source Netflix