Resilience Amidst Ruin: Ukrainian National Identity in Recent War Documentaries

• In Event: Interrogating Identity in Eastern European Literature and Film: Myth, Resilience, and the Nation

Abstract

The paper explores the memory of brutality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as documented in recent Ukrainian war documentaries. Putin's denial of Ukrainian nationhood and cultural identity has been starkly illustrated through the deliberate targeting of cultural landmarks and the tragic loss of civilian lives during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Paradoxically, the Russian invasion has served as a catalyst for the resurgence of Ukrainian national identity, prompting a renewed sense of unity and defiance among the Ukrainian people. The paper examines the memory of the current war in recent documentaries, such as Mstyslav Chernov’s 20 Days in Mariupol (2023), Liudmyla Batalova’s There Will Be No Lessons Today and Tomorrow (2023), Alisa Kovalenko’s We Will Not Fade Away (2023), Volodymyr Tykhy’s One Day In Ukraine (2022), and Yuliia Hontaruk’s short film series Fortress Mariupol (2022). These films, as crucial records of Russian war crimes, prompt inquiries into the Ukrainian experience, raising questions about why Ukrainians must endure this tragic war and whether the Russian language defines their identity. The paper delves into the multifaceted dimensions of Ukrainian identity against a backdrop of ruin, extermination, and destruction.

Author

• Tetyana Shlikhar, U of Notre Dame