War,Drama
Ukraine,Netherlands,France,Germany,Romania
Donbass is a film directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa, which premiered in 2018 at the Cannes Film Festival where it won the Un Certain Regard Best Director Award. The film is a collection of vignettes that highlights various aspects of the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, focusing mainly on the propaganda, corruption and violence of both sides.
The film starts with a fake news report featuring a woman who claims to be a victim of shelling by the Ukrainian army, but is later exposed as an actor. It then moves on to various scenes that illustrate the chaos and absurdity of life in the warzone.
In one scene, an elderly woman argues with a bus driver over the fare, only for the argument to escalate into a violent altercation when the driver accuses her of being a separatist. In another, a group of soldiers try to put on a propaganda play, but are interrupted by a mortar attack that forces them into action.
The film also shows glimpses of everyday life in the Donbass region, such as a wedding party that proceeds despite the sound of shelling in the background, and an Orthodox priest who blesses a military vehicle while warning against the dangers of sectarianism.
Overall, Donbass serves as a powerful indictment of the propaganda and violence that has engulfed the region, as well as a reminder of the human toll of war.
