Inha Pavlyi

Several films were released in October in Ukraine. They show how Russia’s full-scale invasion has affected the environment. The films “No Shade in the Forest” and “Animals in War” were screened at the Odesa International Film Festival at Oscar Cinema in Kyiv. A pre-premiere screening of the film “Natural Border” by Public Broadcasting took place at the House of Cinema.

“No shade in the forest”

A series of premiere documentaries about war and nature began with the film “No Shade in the Forest”, directed by Volodymyr Tykhyy and produced by Bella Terzi. The film stars eco-journalist Viktoriya Hubareva, who embarks on a journey through Ukraine’s national parks and nature reserves to document the impacts of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The film crew visited the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve (Kyiv region), the Danube Biosphere Reserve (Odesa region), the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve (Zakarpattia region), the Tuzlovski Limany National Park (Odesa region), the Podilski Tovtry National Park (Khmelnytskyi region), the Holy Mountains National Park (Donetsk region), and the shores of the former Kakhovka Reservoir (Kherson region).

“In Ukraine, the focus is currently on people and cities. And it’s understandable why. Every day, our people experience grief. But there are topics that people neglect. I’m talking about our environment. I want to focus attention on it because few people talk about it. After the disaster at the Kakhovka Reservoir, the impact of the war on the environment was a hot topic, like other high-profile media topics. But no one talks about bats and the impact explosions have on them, no one talks about war-damaged chalk pines, no one talks about the extensive mine fields in our national parks. When I talked to foreigners and started telling them about it, they said they hadn’t even thought about it. Nature remains in the background. And that’s why we wanted to show how the war has affected our nature, what it is like now,” Terzi said.

One of the film’s highlights is that Hubareva and her team record the audio ambience of national parks using professional equipment. Thanks to this, viewers not only see nature, but also hear it, allowing the filmmakers to better illustrate the harsh reality. In parks just beyond the front line, you can hear the rustling of leaves on trees, birds singing, wings fluttering and water splashing. But in the areas that have been burned by shelling and fighting, there is no sound—only complete silence. Here, the trees are charred leafless trunks with no sign of life around them. There is not even shade in such forests.

“The idea of incorporating sound emerged as the story progressed. There are certain moments that can be conveyed not only through images but also through sound. Take, for example, the Chornobyl Reserve. When you walk through the area where the fire occurred, the temperature and air are different. Everything weighs on you, and you feel the heat more intensely. Walk 50 meters to the side where no fire burned, and there is shade, coolness and a breeze. We wanted to show this difference,” says the film’s director Volodymyr Tykhyy.

Hubareva met Tykhyy in Holosiivskyi Park in Kyiv at an annual bat release event organized by the Ukrainian Center for Bat Rehabilitation. Later, Tykhyy told her of his idea to make a film about the impact of war on the environment. She immediately agreed.

The first day of filming took place in 2024, across the planet in Chile. Hubareva had been invited to World Freedom Press Day 2024 in Santiago, where she spoke on two panels about the challenges Ukrainian journalists face when covering environmental issues and biosphere reserves during wartime. Filming then continued in Ukraine.

“I am glad that more people are learning about the impact of war on the environment. As it turns out, few people outside my ‘bubble’ think about this,” said Hubareva. “On the other hand, not everyone understood the idea of soundscapes. For me, for example, the difference between how burned forest and living forest “sound” is enormous. In a living forest, you can hear birds and insects, and if you watch patiently and carefully, you can even see wild animals. In a forest that has recently been burned or destroyed by another force (for example, logging), it is much quieter.”

Hubareva asked those who had seen the film whether this idea was clear to them.“For many it was not as obvious as it was to me, which was upsetting. I would like people to be more aware of nature. I am talking not only about conscious consumption and use of resources, but also about the realization that there is much more life around us than we usually notice. As Irina Vykhrystyuk, director of the Tuzlovski Limany National Park and also a character in this film, said during the first screening: ‘The forest is never empty’,” Hubareva concluded.

The eco-journalist notes that fires, mining, soil and water pollution and loss of biodiversity are among the most common consequences of war in nature. Of course, each case is unique and depends on the area. In the Black Sea, dolphins are dying from marine mines and acoustic trauma and oil is spilling, while in eastern Ukraine, forests are being cut down and burned. In the Chornobyl exclusion zone, radiation levels are increasing due to disturbance caused by the construction of fortifications. Shelling cities generates tremendous waste that is then sent to already overflowing landfills. The number of invasive flora and fauna species is increasing where local species have been destroyed.

“Everywhere we went, our experts told us: there are consequences, but nature will recover. Yes, it will take many years, and in some places, things will never be the same again. Some unique places have been destroyed forever. But nature adapts. It’s like with the Kakhovka Reservoir—at first, as soon as the water receded, we expected the worst—a huge desert poisoned by the reservoir’s sediments. But now there is a willow forest there, known as the “Green Sea”. Nature always finds its way, and if we don’t interfere or, in some cases, if we can help in a scientifically sound way, it will recover. Of course, this assumes that there is proper institutional management. This adds a little optimism,” notes Hubareva.

The film premiered on October 4 at the Oscar Cinema in Kyiv as part of the Odesa International Film Festival. The film will be shown at various Ukrainian and international festivals, and next fall it is scheduled to be released in Ukrainian theaters and on streaming platforms. “No Shade in the Forest” will be available for all to watch.

The film resonated with viewers who attended the premiere. After the screening, visitor Vladislav shared his impressions:

“It’s a very impressive film that demonstrates the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine, on the Ukrainian environment, and on nature. The cinematography and imagery are stunning. I liked the comparison of the soundtracks before and after the full-scale invasion,” Vladislav noted. “How quiet and empty, how crippled our land is now. I really remember those sound effects, as well as the shots with flamingos and the fact that the war has caused the flamingos to leave their longtime homes.”

Viewer Andriy says that he liked the footage of the bat rescue the most. “My colleagues from Bats Ukraine made it. I also remember footage from the Holy Mountains National Park in the Donetsk region—a unique place that has now been virtually destroyed. After watching it, I realized that it would be difficult to overcome these consequences.” He continued, “But I am glad that scientists and environmentalists are already trying to act, documenting the consequences and telling their foreign colleagues so that the whole world knows about our tragedy. I will definitely recommend the film to my friends, colleagues and acquaintances. As many people as possible need to see it.”

“Animals in War”

A pre-premiere screening of the film “Animals in War” also took place during the Odesa International Film Festival. This is not simply a movie, but a feature film anthology of seven short stories based on real events. Oleh Kokhan was the creator and producer. Film project partners include the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Solidarity Fund for Ukrainian Films (ESFUF), and the Save Pets of Ukraine initiative.

The main goal of the film anthology was to draw attention to the war in Ukraine and how animals are suffering as a result. In an interview, Oleh Kokhan shared his horror upon learning about the number of animals that had died since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, “It’s at least 400,000 cows and millions of birds. For me, the film was an opportunity to draw the world’s attention to both the fate of animals and the war in Ukraine.”

The anthology consists of seven short stories, each of which centers on the story of an animal and the people around it. In the short story “The Eagle”, sound engineers (one of whom, incidentally, is played by the actor Sean Penn) record the voices of rare birds, including an eagle, in the Chornobyl Reserve. The viewer is transported to the night of February 23-24, 2022. Gradually, a young Ukrainian sound engineer begins to hear the sounds of heavy machinery rather than animals. At first, he does not understand what it is. But the first sounds of explosions force him to face a new, cruel reality.

“Sonny” highlights the weight of a mother’s grief. A young woman has lost her son in the war. But during a forced stop in the forest, she finds him, her “little boy”—frightened and wounded. The woman takes her “boy” to a children’s hospital, begging for them to help him. But the doctor asks her to accept reality: her “son” is a young wolf cub. The cub needed veterinary care and protection, and the woman was looking for a place to direct her maternal feelings. Thus, two souls, victims of war, meet.

“Cow in the Fog” tells the story of a 12-year-old boy whose village was bombed at the start of the full-scale invasion. Fleeing the explosions and military occupation alone, he encounters a cow lost in the fog. Together, they search for a way out.

The short story “The White Rabbit, or There and Back Again” reveals the story of a rabbit and its owner and how they experienced the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In “Underwater Incident”, the viewer sees how the silence and tranquility of a fish tank is interrupted by a series of explosions and shelling. “Everything Is Fine” tells the story of a Kyiv man who wants to move abroad after the start of the full-scale invasion. But he cannot take his beloved cat with him and takes her to a shelter. There the cat runs away, and he searches for her through a neighborhood. After finding his beloved pet at last, he reevaluates his priorities in life.

“Torpedo” tells the poignant story of a grandmother living in a village occupied by the Russians in southern Ukraine. She gives the coordinates of enemy equipment to Ukrainian artillerymen. When she learns that the occupiers know the truth, she makes a final call to her grandson, who serves in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and asks him to fire a shell at her house when the enemy soldiers arrive. Next to her is her beloved goat Torpedo, raised by her from a young age. Both souls accept their fate.

The film is significant in that it clearly demonstrates that animals are always close to us. Not only pets, but also livestock and wild animals. And when war comes to our homes, it affects absolutely everyone.

It is difficult to assess the role of animals during full-scale warfare. Some people find them psychologically helpful. Thousands of animals serve in the State Emergency Service (SES), the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the National Police. They save human lives, assist in psychological rehabilitation, and perform real combat tasks.

The stories resonated with viewers. Oleh Vikoviy shared his thoughts after the premiere, saying “Each story was touching in its own way and some more than others.” He noted that it is very difficult to comprehend how many animals have died, been injured or abandoned due to the full-scale war. “In our country, there is a belief, especially among the older generation, that animals are secondary and not family members. The younger generation already has a different attitude towards this, which is very encouraging.” 

He added, “I saw this in today’s films. This film is another reminder for me that animals are always around us, that we can help them, and they can help us. I would like as many people as possible to see this film so that they realize that it is not only us who suffer during war, but also our animals.”

At the same time, while watching this anthology, this author could not shake the feeling that what was missing was precisely the “perception of war through the eyes of animals”. Each story was centered on humans, with animals as background. The viewer is primarily shown the emotions and experiences of the human characters. For example, “Everything Is Fine” shows the experiences of a guy who lost his cat, but does not show the cat’s journey, nor its experiences when it got lost. In “The Eagle”, the creators convey the noises accompanying the unexpected start of the war in the Chornobyl Reserve through two sound engineers, rather than through the experience of the eagle that is being recorded.

It’s possible that conveying circumstances through an animal’s eyes is technically a more difficult undertaking. But this was really missing when watching the film.

Each story is unique in its plot and the creator’s idea has the right to be realized. At the same time, there are stories from our lives that are much harsher than those shown. For example, how does a dog feel when it is left tied up in a village near the front line? What does a cat feel when its owners leave it behind when evacuating, thinking they were leaving for two or three days, but only returning months later. What happened to animals under fire in besieged Mariupol when they were wounded and sought people out in basements, knowing that it was safe there. People ate pigeons because there was no food left in the city. Dogs and cats ate the bodies of the dead to feed themselves.

The director probably deliberately chose less violent stories. Most of the short stories in the film end on a fairly optimistic note, giving hope for the future. It is quite possible that this is exactly what Ukrainian viewers need right now.

“Animals in War” was released in Ukrainian theaters on November 6. 

“Natural border”

Our review of nature through the lens concludes with the documentary film “Natural Border” about Ukrainian peat bogs, shot and presented by Public Broadcasting. The pre-premiere screening took place on October 9 at the House of Cinema in Kyiv and drew a full house. Olesya Morgunets-Isaenko is the director and creative producer of the film.

What do we know about wetlands? They are waterlogged areas that can drown people or animals. But they are also a vast world of biodiversity that is central to environmental conservation. 

The film tells viewers about peat bogs in Ukraine’s northern Polesie region, wetlands that have been repeatedly drained for over a century, destroying unique nature. Peat bogs are not only a unique ecosystem with their own biodiversity, but also a source of clean water, a natural carbon sink, and an important resource for local communities. 

As it turns out, they have another function—a defensive one. The film recalls the Soviet era, when peat bogs were a “natural border” in confrontation with the “enemy”. More recently, they were useful in blocking the attack on Kyiv during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The issues raised in the film resonated with viewers. Yulia Markhel, leader of Let’s Do It, Ukraine, shared her impressions: “The film turned out to be very powerful and important. Shot in a “National Geographic” style, it is interesting and easy to watch. I would like the whole world to see it, because wetlands are important. 

Markhel said, “This story is not about one year, but about decades, hundreds of years. It is about our safety, health and our ecosystem. I want the younger generation to see and remember the importance of wetlands. And when they come to power, in business, in the media, they will be able to make use of this information. I believe that we in Ukraine must find resources to restore wetlands and, perhaps, even increase their size.”

Valeria Kolodezhna, a representative of the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group, also enjoyed the film. This is not the first she has heard about Ukrainian wetlands; she previously researched them as part of a project for National Geographic.

Kolodezhna shared, “Working in an environmental organization and having experience as a teacher, I have personally encountered a lack of public knowledge about wetlands. It is interesting that even biologists focused on their own interests may not know much about wetlands, let alone ordinary citizens. That is why my project was aimed at spreading knowledge about wetlands among teachers, who could then pass it on to their students.”

Kolodezhna herself comes from Polesie and grew up near local wetlands. She recalls that as a child she mainly heard calls for wetlands to be drained and developed and almost nothing about their beneficial properties. She learned a lot from watching the documentary.

“I come from those parts, so it was very personal for me. And from an expert point of view, I was very happy to see the visual scale of the preserved wetlands that were filmed from above. What a huge area it is! I have been to natural areas around the world and I know that very few such untouched places remain. Seeing this beauty from a drone and feeling the scale—the heart of a scientist, biologist, geographer expert leaps with joy.”

On October 16, the film “Natural Border” had its German premiere as part of Intercultural Week. The Ukrainian premiere of the film will take place on December 3 at 10 p.m. on Channel One Suspilne.

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In October Ukraine enjoyed a series of pre-release screenings of films about that country’s unique nature and how it survives in wartime. It is encouraging that all of the films will soon be available to watch in cinemas or on digital platforms.

Main image source: SOTA Cinema Group