6 unforgettable films about Ukraine, directed by non-Ukrainians
Films about Ukraine made by foreign directors (collage by RBC-Ukraine)
Foreign filmmakers are increasingly focusing on Ukrainian themes, producing documentaries and feature films about war, freedom, resilience, culture, and the tragic events of the nation's history. Their perspective is more than just an outside observation; it is a sincere attempt to understand, empathize, and share the truth about Ukraine with the world. Here are five films that provoke thought, stir emotions, and prove that Ukraine's story matters globally.
Frost (2017)
"Frost" is a war drama released in 2017 as an international co-production between France, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Poland. At the center of the story is a young Lithuanian named Rokas, who travels to Ukraine and finds himself in the very heart of the war.
What he witnesses firsthand shatters his view of war as a heroic adventure—he is instead faced with its brutal reality. During his dangerous journey, Rokas meets two war journalists, and that encounter profoundly changes his outlook on the events around him.
Mariupolis (2016, 2022)
The documentaries "Mariupolis" (2016) and "Mariupolis 2" (2022) are two deeply connected but very different films by Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravičius, dedicated to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol during wartime.
The first part, filmed in 2015 and released in 2016, captures the daily life of Mariupol's residents during a lull in fighting. There's little direct politics or combat footage—instead, we see a slice of life: theater rehearsals, fishermen by the sea, blacksmiths, and schoolchildren.
It's a portrait of a city on the edge—waiting for another blow, but filled with inner strength. The atmosphere is quietly tense, yet the screen reflects human dignity, everyday life, and the beauty of the ordinary.
The second part tells a vastly different story. It's a harrowing documentary record of the siege of Mariupol in March 2022 during Russia's full-scale invasion. Despite the danger, Kvedaravičius returned to the city to document the tragedy.
He lived in the basement of an Orthodox church where people were hiding, capturing scenes of destroyed streets, life under constant shelling, fear, death, and survival.
This film became his final work—Russian forces killed Kvedaravičius in Mariupol in April 2022. His partner Hanna Bilobrova could edit "Mariupolis 2" and complete his vision thanks to the preserved footage.
Hunger for Truth (2017)
"Hunger for Truth" is a Ukrainian-Canadian documentary that sheds light on one of the darkest chapters in Ukraine's history—the genocide carried out by the Soviet regime in the 1930s. The film centers on Canadian journalist Rhea Clyman, who traveled to Ukraine in 1932 and witnessed the onset of the man-made famine firsthand.
Shocked by the scale of the tragedy, she began reporting the truth about the Holodomor in the West, provoking harsh retaliation from Soviet authorities, who branded her a "bourgeois troublemaker."
The film blends archival footage with modern-day context, drawing explicit parallels between Stalinist repression and today's Russian aggression. In this way, "Hunger for Truth" not only honors the memory of past victims but also underscores that the Ukrainian people's fight for truth and dignity continues.
Porcelain War (2024)
Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev directed this documentary.
The film follows three Ukrainian artists—Leontyev himself, his wife Anya Stasenko, and their friend Andriy Stefanov—who remained in Kharkiv after the full-scale war began. The city, under relentless missile attacks since the start of the invasion, becomes the backdrop for their story.
Despite the danger, the protagonists refuse to abandon their work. They resist physically—Slava himself joined the front—and through art: creating unique porcelain sculptures and placing them on war-damaged buildings. Their art becomes an act of defiance and a symbol of resilience.
The film premiered at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January 2024, where it won the Grand Jury Prize in the documentary competition. Since then, it has earned 37 awards and 27 nominations at international film forums.
Superpower (2023)
American actor and director Sean Penn created this documentary in collaboration with director Aaron Kaufman, who sadly passed away in 2024.
Work on the film began even before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Initially, the filmmakers planned to shoot a biopic about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But the events of February 24, 2022, dramatically changed the course and focus of the production.
At the film's heart is Zelenskyy's transformation from a TV celebrity into a true national leader. It portrays his courage and steadfastness during one of the most critical periods in Ukraine's modern history.
Beyond the president's personal story, "Superpower" highlights the scale of Russian aggression, the human cost of war, and the heroism of the Ukrainian people. Sean Penn visited Ukraine several times, including during the war's early days, to witness the events firsthand and speak with those directly affected.
The film premiered in 2023 at the Berlin International Film Festival, generating significant buzz among the press and audiences.
Previously, we shared five must-watch documentaries about Ukraine.
