At Docudays NGO, we have launched the nationwide information campaign Being Present so that, when we think of the temporarily occupied territories, we see first and foremost the people and their experiences — and do not lose touch with them. The starting point for this difficult conversation will be the film Traces by Alisa Kovalenko and Marysia Nikitiuk about women who survived sexual violence and torture during occupation and captivity, their struggle for the right to be heard, and their path towards restoring justice.
For those living in free territory, occupation often becomes something distant and abstract: they may follow the news and read reports by human rights organisations, yet still not understand the challenges our people face and what they are going through. They are Ukrainian citizens, and the country’s future depends on whether we listen to their voices, make their experiences visible and defend their rights.
Traces restores a human-centred perspective, allowing us to see one of the most difficult dimensions of the Russia-Ukraine war, while also providing an opportunity to explore this subject more deeply.
Alisa Kovalenko during a human rights discussion at the 23rd Docudays UA. Photo: Yevhen Kotenko
“This film is not only about horrors. It is not a horror film. In fact, it is about the triumph of dignity over evil, and human dignity became my main compass while working on the film,” says the film’s co-director Alisa Kovalenko. “I myself experienced violence in captivity and was raped by a Russian officer in Donbas at the beginning of the Russian aggression. So I understood the red lines, the delicacy and sensitivity required when speaking about this. We often see the crime but fail to see the person that has suffered from it.”
Going far beyond the direct documentation of war crimes, the documentary Traces focuses on a community of women survivors who refuse to remain silent about what they have endured. Through the story of Iryna Dovhan, a former captive who became an activist and documents the testimonies of women survivors in Ukraine’s de-occupied territories, the film creates a collective portrait of trauma while opening up space for recovery. Through the strength of the solidarity of women standing shoulder to shoulder, the film offers a profound reflection on the possibility of hope amid the devastating traces of war.
The protagonists and crew of the film Traces during its national premiere at the 23rd Docudays UA. Photo: Serhiy Khandusenko
“Traces is a rare example of how an intensely traumatic experience can be portrayed without losing the zest for life,” says Yuliia Kovalenko, Director of the Programme Department at Docudays NGO. “The women in Traces found the strength not only to speak about what they had endured, but also to join forces in organising advocacy work and become a powerful movement for documenting the testimonies of women who survived similar violence and bringing those responsible for these crimes to justice. This film is a testament to how important it is not to remain silent and how much can be achieved by helping one another heal our wounds.”
The film had its world première at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, where it received the Panorama Dokumente Audience Award, as well as the Grand Jury Prize in the documentary competition at Movies That Matter. The film was first screened in Ukraine at the 23rd Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, and now audiences across the country will be able to see it.
The national premiere of the film at the 23rd Docudays UA. Photo: Serhiy Khandusenko
As part of the Being Present information campaign, we talk about the experiences and problems of people who have survived occupation or remain in the temporarily occupied territories. The next stage of the campaign will feature public screenings of Traces, expert discussions and post-screening conversations. The film’s directors and protagonists will take part, alongside human rights defenders, psychologists and journalists who work on this subject or have been personally affected by it.
The events will take place in every region visited by this year’s Travelling Docudays UA Festival in October and November, at broader discussion venues in Kyiv, and across the Docudays UA Film Clubs Network, which currently brings together more than 650 human rights media education film clubs.
Follow our latest news on our website and social media, and find campaign events in your cities, towns, and villages in the Travelling Docudays UA schedule. The Festival will set off on its journey across Ukraine very soon.
Main photo: The protagonists of the film Traces during its national premiere at the 23rd Docudays UA. Serhiy Khandusenko
The campaign is implemented with the financial support of the International Renaissance Foundation and the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine. The opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the governments, charitable organisations, or companies in these countries. Responsibility for the content of this publication lies solely with its authors.
