Divia Film Reveals the Ecological Destruction Caused by Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
The world premiere of Divia, a full-length Ukrainian documentary by filmmaker Dmytro Hreshko, will take place at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. The film has been selected to compete for the festival’s top honor — the Crystal Globe, The Gaze reports, citing Detector Media.
Described as a “documentary of observation,” Divia examines the devastating impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on the country’s natural environment. “It’s a journey from the harmony of nature to the fiery whirlwind of war that scorches the land, forests, and all living things,” say the filmmakers.
The documentary follows ecologists, deminers, animal rescuers, and forensic experts as they try to measure the environmental toll, clear explosives, save wildlife, and restore damaged ecosystems.
The film’s name references an ancient Slavic goddess of nature, symbolizing the mother of all living things. According to the filmmakers, the central characters of Divia are Ukrainian nature and the war itself, with Russian troops portrayed as forces of destruction and death.
Filming began in spring 2022 and took place across war-torn regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. One striking segment captures the aftermath of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam — including the flooding of the Kherson region and animal rescue efforts.
The film also includes archival footage of Ukraine’s natural landscapes from before the war, contributed by the creative team of Ukraїner. These include images from protected areas like the Sviati Hory and Oleshky Sands national parks, Crimea, and other reserves now destroyed or occupied.
The film is a Polish-Ukrainian-Dutch co-production. Producers Polina Herman and Hlib Lukianets worked alongside Dutch co-producer Richard Valk (Valk Productions). Grammy-winning British composer and producer Sam Slater — known for his work on Chernobyl, Battlefield 2042, Joker, and Ukrainian film 2000 Meters to Andriivka — composed the music.
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, one of the most prestigious in Central and Eastern Europe, will run from July 4 to 12, 2025. Established in 1946, it is classified as a “Category A” festival by the FIAPF — alongside Cannes, Berlin, and Venice.
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