Strong Structures in Fragile Times: A Special Programme on Ukrainian Society for the 23rd Docudays UA

Introducing Strong Structures, a special out-of-competition programme of Ukrainian films at Docudays UA, accompanied by a curatorial text from Programme Director Yulia Kovalenko.

At the heart of any democratic state lies a society capable of defending its values at critical moments in history. It is people who can endure hardship and preserve their bonds. Ukrainians have repeatedly demonstrated such resilience — even in the most difficult times, our society has consistently mobilised its strength, self-organised, and come together in pursuit of a shared future. These fine words, in practice, translate into countless almost everyday choices that require resilience, strength, persistence, empathy and love. To trace them all would risk turning this text into a tender chronicle of the making of an independent and sovereign Ukraine: from the engagement of civil society to relationships within its smallest social unit, the family.

A still from the film Written Down as Father

But what truly lies behind our resilience? Many Ukrainians have, at one time or another, tried to answer a familiar question from abroad: “How are you holding up?”. And yet these attempts often feel insufficient, as if language itself fails to grasp what sustains us. What are these foundations, and from what have we built our strong structures — those that enable our country to mark its 35th Independence Day this year, despite an extraordinarily challenging historical path for such a span of time?

A still from the film Homecoming

Our special out-of-competition programme, Strong Structures, has taken shape as a kind of search for answers to these questions. The films in this selection explore the hidden sources and forces that help Ukrainians endure in times of hardship and continue to build a shared future. Whether it is a young couple confronting both the onset of the full-scale invasion and the personal strain of a midlife crisis (the feature debut by Maryna Nikolcheva, One Day I Wish to See You Happy), or a daughter attempting to mend her fractured relationship with her father against the backdrop of wartime upheaval (the short film Written Down as Father by Dariia Kovalchuk), these stories are imbued with a sincere, unadorned love that becomes a powerful driving force — enabling not only the acceptance of a new wartime reality, but also meaningful contributions to the country’s defence.

A still from the film Apocalypse Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, and the Day After Tomorrow

Whether in Nikopol (Apocalypse Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, and the Day After Tomorrow by Anastasiia Bonadyha) or under Russian occupation in the outskirts of Kyiv (Ember by Vladyslav Kalenskyi), the protagonists of these short films navigate dangerous living conditions through empathy, demonstrating that solidarity can be life-saving.

A still from the film Ember

Even a sense of safety — or the illusion of refuge abroad — cannot diminish either the grief and love for lost relatives (Balance Luiza Corora) or a deep-rooted connection to a painful Ukrainian reality (Homecoming by Roman Khimei and Yarema Malashchuk). All of this compels the films’ protagonists to return to their home cities — if only through the lenses of cameras and digital technologies — and to continue building a future despite trauma, loss and separation.

A still from the film One Day I Wish to See You Happy

If you're unable to attend the Docudays UA screenings, the second screening in Ukraine of the film Homecoming will take place at the Mykolaichuk OPEN festival in Chernivtsi, running from 13 to 20 June.

Main photo: a still from the film Balance

The 23rd Docudays UA is held with the financial support of the European Union, the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine and the Ukrainian State Film Agency. The opinions, conclusions, or recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the governments of these countries. Responsibility for the content of the publication lies exclusively with the authors and editors of the publication.

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