Documentary 'Russians at War' Premieres at Venice Film Festival
The documentary 'Russians at War' by Anastasia Trofimova, which provides a rare insight into the lives of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, premiered at the Venice Film Festival. The film aims to humanize the soldiers while addressing the complexities of the ongoing conflict.
| Score | Value |
|---|---|
Scale | 7 |
Novelty | 5 |
Positivity | 2 |
Reliability | 6 |
Actionability | 2 |
Society | 8 |
Journalism | 4 |
Highlights
- Anastasia Trofimova spent seven months embedded with a Russian army battalion in Eastern Ukraine for her documentary 'Russians at War'.
- The documentary presents a portrait of Russian soldiers living in harsh conditions and grappling with their roles in the conflict.
- Estimates suggest that between 66,000 to 120,000 Russian soldiers have died since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
- The Venice Film Festival is screening both 'Russians at War' and Olha Zhurba's 'Songs of Slow Burning Earth' out of competition.
- Trofimova claims she did not witness any war crimes during her time with the battalion.
Perspectives
- Anastasia Trofimova argues that it is essential to humanize all individuals, including Russian soldiers, to combat stereotypes and foster understanding, despite the documented war crimes associated with the Russian military. [28][30]
- Some critics believe that 'Russians at War' risks whitewashing the actions of Russian soldiers and question the ethics of portraying them sympathetically given the context of war crimes committed during the invasion of Ukraine. [29][30]