Porcelain War

Most of us, in Canada, cannot truly comprehend a scenario in which our country is invaded and civilians are compelled to take up arms in its defence. Yet for Ukrainians, this is the reality. In Porcelain War, three artists elect to stay and fight — with cameras, their talent, and, yes, with guns. At first, despite daily shelling, Anya finds resistance and purpose in ceramics, Andrey gets 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 between skirmishes, Anya and Slava seek to capture their idyllic past, uncertain present, and hope for the future. Mixing intense conflict footage and moments of deliberation and intimacy, Porcelain War is a vivid reminder of perilous times.

Masterfully illustrates the enduring power of art in the face of adversity.

Awards Daily

Dec 4: The screening will be followed by a panel discussion

How has the war in Ukraine impacted Ukrainian filmmakers? What role do filmmakers play in the war effort? YVR Screen Scene Podcast host and Ukrainian Canadian activist Sabrina Rani Furminger is joined by displaced Ukrainian filmmakers Olha Byrledianu (War Tails) and Khrystyna Syvolap (Viddana), and Adrian Petriw, a Vancouver-based actor and vice president of the Ukrainian Canadian Advocacy Group, for a post-screening conversation about creating work at the intersection of art and war. Community partner: YVR Screen Scene Podcast

Community Partner