In the final days of the 22nd Traveling Docudays UA, we are opening online access to the documentary film Witnesses. Captivity Kills, a profound and sensitive film about the experience of our fellow citizens who survived Russian captivity, as well as about those who are still waiting for their loved ones to return. 

The film by directors Maryna Kronhlevska and Tetiana Symon was created by the team of the Ukraine War Archive. It was assembled from the testimonies of military personnel who went through captivity in Olenivka, interviews with families who still have no news about their loved ones, as well as from the few photos and videos from Mariupol recorded by eyewitnesses. The film tells the story of one of Russia’s most horrific war crimes: the Olenivka terrorist attack and the explosion of the barracks where the defenders of Azovstal were held. This is a story which the occupiers are trying to erase, but which society must preserve — for the sake of truth, justice, and the fight for each and every person.

Photo: still from the film Witnesses. Captivity Kills

“The film must evoke the desire to become a co-participant in the struggle for the release of our prisoners of war. Yet I often meet people who know nothing at all about Olenivka. Like many others, I was terrified to look at this footage. I could not let this pain pass through me… We, as a society, must grow up and live through it together,” says director Maryna Kronhlevska.

“For me, it was important to bring together, in one space, those who fought and survived captivity and those who waited in silence,” shares Tetiana Symon, co-director and manager of the witness-interviewing department at the Ukraine War Archive. “According to various estimates, 10,000–12,000 Ukrainian service members are in captivity, and around 50,000 people are waiting for their return. Often without any information — only with faith. This experience is also traumatic and requires attention and support. The family members and loved ones are not alone, even if it feels that way.”

Photo: still from the film Witnesses. Captivity Kills

Within the festival, Witnesses. Captivity Kills has already been screened at special events in partnership with Docudays UA film clubs, where we talk about living through trauma, the path of returning and recovering after captivity. These discussions involve people with the experience of captivity, their families, human rights advocates, activists, and rehabilitation experts. Together we discuss the following questions:
What do people go through in captivity? What do they need after returning — physically, emotionally, legally? What role should the state, hromadas, and society play?

To help released prisoners of war on their path to rehabilitation and recovery, the Travelling Docudays UA together with the Principle of Hope Charitable Foundation have initiated a fundraising campaign. The foundation was created by human rights advocate and Travelling Docudays UA ambassador Maksym Butkevych, who himself had been in Russian captivity.

You can support the fundraiser during festival events, via the QR code on the website, or by using the direct link to the special account.

Join the support for those released from Russian captivity, wherever you are from.

Every contribution, every voice, and every action matters.