The Ukraine War Archive has published the documentary film Ukrainian Voices: Bud’mo on its official YouTube channel, making the film available to audiences worldwide.
Bud’mo follows three Ukrainian women of different generations as they rebuild their lives in the United Kingdom after fleeing their homes devastated by war. Through the stories of Ariana (14), Inna (43) and Lidia (73), the film offers an honest, moving and at times uplifting portrayal of ordinary people navigating extraordinary circumstances.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the United Kingdom has welcomed over 200,000 refugees from Ukraine, the majority of them women. Each arrival represents a life profoundly disrupted — individuals processing trauma while adapting to a new culture, language and society. The film explores what these transitions look like over time, as its protagonists continue to adjust to life in unfamiliar surroundings while the war continues in their home country.
Ariana, a schoolgirl, is forced to grow up quickly as she helps support her mother and younger brothers while adjusting to a new country and education system. Inna, a doctor and mother, fled some of the fiercest fighting in Ukraine, leaving behind a destroyed home and an uncertain future. Lidia, a volunteer in her seventies, draws on a lifetime of resilience and a deep-rooted commitment to helping others as she rebuilds her life in the UK.
Set across London, Reading and Peterborough, where the women found refuge with host families, Bud’mo reflects the dignity, resilience and quiet determination that define the experiences of millions of Ukrainians displaced by war.
The film’s title comes from the Ukrainian tradition of toast-giving and translates as “Let us be”, capturing a spirit of endurance and humanity in the face of upheaval.
Bud’mo marks the directorial debut of Joseph Terry, who was inspired to make the film after hosting refugees from Kyiv. The film was produced by Blue Whale Films, and the production team also includes displaced Ukrainian filmmakers. Materials from the Ukraine War Archive were used in the making of the documentary, adding a layer of immediacy and real-life context to the stories portrayed.
The documentary has been presented at the 4th Doc Screenings Documentary Film Festival in Tbilisi (24 October 2024), where it received the Best Debut Documentary award and the Live Audience Award, and was also selected for the Boundless Film Festival programme in June 2025.
Credits
Director & Writer: Joseph Terry
Producers: Remy Wigmans, Lora Maltseva, Oleksandra Mazikina, Alex Underwood
Camera & Sound: Andriy Antypenko
Editor: Marc Brak
