We don’t want to lose touch with you after the festival ends. That’s why we invite you to watch 17 recordings of human rights discussions, conversations about the challenges of documenting war crimes, and events for the film community that took place during the 22nd Docudays UA.
The RIGHTS NOW! program
The event From Captivity to Home: Challenges of Reintegration and Rehabilitation for Released Kremlin Prisoners. Photo: Serhiy Khandusenko
Out of more than two dozen events from the Docudays UA human rights program, we’ve saved 10 panel discussions on DOCUSPACE.
“This year’s RIGHTS NOW! programme was incredibly rich. We tried to address many important topics that concern our fellow citizens and resonate with what Ukrainian society is going through today. But we understand that we couldn’t cover everything,” says Anastasiia Bahalika, Director of the Human Rights Department at the NGO Docudays. “For those who weren’t able to attend the festival or join the live discussions, we’re offering a selection of recorded panels from the Docudays UA team — covering the pressing challenges of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the development of civil society, and the threats to human rights that persist in 2025.”
Among the freely accessible recordings is an event dedicated to the rehabilitation, reintegration, and support of Ukrainians returning from captivity, featuring veterans who have experienced imprisonment. There is also a discussion on Russia’s deliberate policy of erasing Ukrainian historical memory — and our efforts to reclaim the truth. Additional panels explore the reality of the post-truth era: how Russian narratives and disinformation affect various audiences, and the role of cultural diplomacy in debunking myths about Ukraine.
A difficult but necessary conversation — about Ukraine’s resilience strategy, the direction we’re heading as a nation and society, the risks of a pro-Russian comeback, and the experience of Sakartvelo (Georgia). Among the speakers is a Kartvelian (Georgian) documentary filmmaker. One of the discussions also covered the challenges of documenting war crimes and the threats to achieving justice. Another important topic was the demographic situation and a global issue that has become especially urgent during the war — the protection of children from sexual violence online, and what is needed to create a safe digital space that aligns with European standards.
You can find the full list of RIGHTS NOW! event recordings at the link.
DOCU/PRO Industry Platform
Photo: Stas Kartashov
Watch the presentation by the Non-Fiction Film Association to learn about the activities of this new organization and its development strategy.
The Association of Non-Fiction Cinema of Ukraine brings together creators of audiovisual art based on documentary material — including documentary, hybrid films, and docu-animation. During the event, Ukrainian filmmakers — the founders of the initiative producer Olha Bregman, director and producer Yelyzaveta Smith, director Ivan Sautkin, and director, producer, and co-founder of #BABYLON’13 Volodymyr Tykhyi — outlined the Association’s strategic directions. These include initiatives in advocacy, education, the promotion of Ukrainian non-fiction cinema, and international cooperation. The event served as a platform for professional dialogue among industry experts and an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing the filmmaking community.
The event recording is available at the link.
DOCU/CLASS WORKSHOP
The event (In)Sensitivity in Documentary Cinema. Photo: Serhiy Khandusenko
“This year’s DOCU/CLASS workshop program includes five panel discussions and focuses on pressing topics for the Ukrainian film community. We will discuss horizontal networking and strengthening collaboration between Ukrainian film festivals, the search for a balance between artistic expression and the ethics of portraying war, as well as working with audiovisual archives in cinema. One of the panels will be dedicated to the festival’s central theme — participatory democracy. Among the participants are Auberi Edler, director of the film An American Pastoral, and Mstyslav Chernov, director of 2000 Meters to Andriiivka. Another panel, bringing together Chilean and Ukrainian film professionals, will explore how representatives from both countries communicate their histories and experiences to international audiences,” said Olga Sydorushkina, DOCU/CLASS curator and Docudays UA programmer.
You can find the full list of DOCU/CLASS event recordings at the link.
Ukraine War Archive
Photo: Stas Kartashov
A discussion that brought together documentalists, journalists, and human rights defenders — the authors of films from the non-competitive program ARCHIVE OF WAR / EVIDENCE — to reflect on the current challenges, shifting motivations, and evolving realities of documenting the war, as well as the search for meaning in this work after three years of full-scale invasion. Representatives of the following media and organizations participated: Slidstvo.Info, RFE/RL, The Kyiv Independent, Gwara Media, the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KHPG), and the Ukraine War Archive.
The event recording is available at the link.
The 22nd Docudays UA is held with the financial support of the European Union, the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, International Renaissance Foundation. The opinions, conclusions, or recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the governments, or organisations of these countries. Responsibility for the content of the publication lies exclusively with the authors and editors of the publication.
