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15th DMZ Docs(2023)

I AM DOCU



In Ukraine

Tomasz WOLSKI, Piotr PAWLUS

  • Poland
  • 2023
  • 82min
  • 12 +
  • DCP
  • color

Korean Premiere

Synopsis

As Western World struggled to understand the convention-breaking atrocities of the Russian army in Ukraine, European citizens joined forces to welcome nearly 8 million refugees fleeing the country. What happened to those who stayed or who returned home? Can home even be called ¡°home¡± under the circumstances? Filmmakers Tomasz Wolski and Piotr Pawlus depart on a challenging mission to show, rather than tell, what is going on in shelled-out cities and burnt-down villages. 

Review

 This observational documentary captures various aspects of Ukraine that have been swept up by war. It portrays long queues of people waiting for food distribution, bustling with activity, while streets once inhabited by residents are now filled with roaming packs of dogs. Amidst the abundance of war's traces, the camera silently observes places where life continues uninterrupted. This observation seems directed towards the present moment, pushing forward in time rather than dwelling on past stories. However, the quiet scenes of time persisting busily or tranquil continue, connecting to images that prepare for an ongoing, unresolved war. As the camera captures these subdued scenes, it leads to scenes of preparation for the ongoing war. Buildings once quietly awaiting reconstruction amidst their ruins no longer appear serene. Instead, they seem to anxiously await the impending storm in the eye of the hurricane. In a room with one wall torn open, a dog, having lost its owner, cautiously extends its face from behind a closet and then retreats again. Amidst the persistence of war that neither busy life nor tranquil land nor a quiet camera can cover, these fixed scenes, observed through a stationary camera, evoke a sense of tumultuous vibration, as if stirring the emotions of the viewer. 

Director

  • Tomasz WOLSKI

    Tomasz Wolski - graduated from the documentary course & international program EKRAN+ at the Wajda School, Ph.D. at Film and TV Direction department at the Lodz Film School.

  • Piotr PAWLUS

    Piotr Pawlus (1985, Poland) studied film, cinematography and screenwriting and also works as a cinematographer and director. In Ukraine (2023) is his first feature-length work as a director.

Credit