Porcelain War

The Story

Amidst the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists defiantly find inspiration and beauty as they defend their culture and their country. In a war waged by professional soldiers against ordinary civilians, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko and Andrey Stefanov choose to stay behind, armed with their art, their cameras and, for the first time in their lives, their guns. Despite daily shelling, Anya finds resistance and purpose in her art, Andrey takes the dangerous journey to get his young family to safety abroad, and Slava becomes a weapons instructor for ordinary people who have become unlikely soldiers. As the war intensifies, Andrey picks up his camera to film their story, and on tiny porcelain figurines, Anya and Slava capture their idyllic past, uncertain present and hope for the future.

Co-directed by Leontyev and Brendan Bellomo, with extraordinary footage from first-time cinematographer Stefanov, Porcelain War embodies the passion and fight that only an artist can put back into the world when it’s crumbling around them.

Porcelain War screening will commence with a 17-minute short film called The Way Home by Stefan Bugryn.

The Way Home

Director: Stefan Bugryn
Country: Australia

After Stalin ordered the forced collectivisation of all the farms in 1930s Ukraine, Maxim, a humble cucumber farmer, rebels. He is arrested by local authorities and shipped off to forced labour camps of Siberia. In a bid to survive and return to his family, he steals away in the dead of night and begins the 1,000km journey home.

Rating

M

Duration

87 min

Language

Ukrainian (English subtitles)

Director

Brendan Bellomo,Slava Leontyev

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