Earth
Year Released: 1930
A silent film by Alexander Dovzhenko that portrays rural Ukrainian life during the early Soviet collectivization period. The film is known for its poetic imagery and philosophical reflections on land, life, and social change. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in world cinema.
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
Year Released: 1965
The film tells the tragic love story of Ivan and Marichka, two young people from rival Hutsul families in the Carpathian Mountains. Directed by Sergei Parajanov, the movie is famous for its vibrant visuals, traditional Ukrainian folklore, and innovative cinematography that captures the spiritual and cultural life of the Hutsul people.
Stone Cross
Year Released: 1968
This emotional drama follows Ivan Didukh, a Ukrainian peasant who is forced to emigrate to Canada because of poverty. Before leaving his homeland, he erects a stone cross on the hill where he worked all his life. The film explores themes of identity, migration, and the deep attachment people feel to their homeland.
The White Bird Marked with Black
Year Released: 1971
Set in Western Ukraine during World War II, the film follows the lives of the Zvonar family as the region becomes divided between different political forces. Brothers find themselves on opposing sides of the conflict, illustrating the tragedy and complexity of war and shifting national loyalties.
Cyborgs: Heroes Never Die
Year Released: 2017
Inspired by true events, this war drama depicts the Ukrainian soldiers who defended the Donetsk Airport during the war in eastern Ukraine. The film focuses on the bravery, camaraderie, and personal struggles of the soldiers known as the “Cyborgs.”
Crazy Wedding
Year Released: 2018
This comedy tells the story of a conservative Ukrainian father whose daughter returns home from France with her fiancé, an Afro-French doctor. The father tries everything possible to stop the wedding, leading to a series of humorous misunderstandings and chaotic situations.
By the River
Year Released: 2023
Quiet Ukrainian drama about people living in a small riverside community, dealing with personal struggles and emotional tensions. The film focuses on atmosphere and inner change, using the river as a symbol of time, memory and transformation.
The Big Walk
Year Released: 2015
Ukrainian comedy about a group of a very different people whose lives unexpectedly intersect during a chaotic journey. Through funny and absurd situations, the film shows friendship, misunderstandings, and how people change when thrown together.
The Guide (2014)
The story follows a young American boy named Peter who travels to Soviet Ukraine with his father in the 1930s. After his father is killed by Soviet authorities, the boy is rescued by a blind kobzar musician. Together they travel across Ukraine while trying to survive the dangers of Stalinist repression.
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom (2015)
This documentary chronicles the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests in Kyiv, when thousands of Ukrainians gathered to demand closer ties with Europe and government reforms. Through powerful footage and personal stories, the film captures the determination and resilience of the protesters.
Mavka: The Forest Song (2023)
Young and naive forest spirit Mavka, develops feelings for a human musician. As the grow closer to each other, and inevitable situation forces Mavka to choose between her love and her duty as a guardian of the forest.
Stop Zemlia (2021)
Introvert Masha sees herself as an outsider unless she's hanging out with her two best friends, Yana and Senia. While trying to navigate through her last year of school, Masha falls in love in a way that forces her out of her comfort zone.
Hutsulka Ksenia (2019)
A young Ukrainian-American man travels to the Carpathians to fulfill his father’s will and must marry a local woman to receive his inheritance. Along the way, he falls in love and discovers Ukrainian culture and identity.
Atlantis (2019)
Set in a near-future eastern Ukraine after the war, a former soldier struggles to find meaning while helping recover the bodies of war victims.
Klondike (2022)
A pregnant woman and her husband live in eastern Ukraine during the start of the war in 2014 as violence reaches their home. The story shows how ordinary people are caught in the middle of conflict.
My thoughts are silent (2019)
A young sound engineer travels with his eccentric mother across Ukraine while recording animal sounds for a job. Their journey becomes a humorous and touching story about family and self-discovery.