From War Zone to Screen: “Under the Sky” Named Best Ukrainian War Documentary

The Ukrainian documentary “Under the Sky,” commissioned by the state-run enterprise “Multimedia Broadcasting Platform of Ukraine” (MBPU), has won the top award in the "Best Documentary" category at the second annual “War in the Lens” competition, The Gaze reports.

Rooted in the personal stories of soldiers from Ukraine’s 72nd Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporizhians, the documentary offers a deeply emotional and visually arresting portrayal of frontline life. 

Spanning seven episodes, the film examines not only the brutality of Russia’s war against Ukraine, but also the enduring struggle of Ukrainians to protect their language, culture, and historical memory after centuries of repression.

Filming began in 2017 at the “Zenit” frontline position near Avdiivka and continued through the fierce battles of Vuhledar in 2023. 

The documentary is composed of rare, often harrowing footage captured by war correspondents embedded on the frontlines, among them Serhii Takhmazov, Ruslan Smeshchuk, Mykhailo Shelest, Dmytro Sanin, and Serhii Kylymnyk.

Director and screenwriter Vadym Yermolenko, who accepted the award, dedicated the win to the frontline cinematographers.

“This award belongs to the heroes of this film, who shot this film, and for those who died and those who are with me, because these are the people of my life,” said Yermolenko. “They are my family. They simply do their job, although sometimes they have to die for it.”

The “War in the Lens” competition is organized by the Communications Department of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces (TDF Media). 

Now in its second year, the festival celebrates Ukrainian media professionals documenting the war with courage, dignity, and precision.

“This festival honors those who tell the truth about this war, about our people, their strength, and their sacrifices,” said Colonel Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, Head of the Communications Division. 

The award ceremony featured special guests including director and serviceman Akhtem Seitablaiev and journalist Iryna Bahlay. 

A photo exhibition titled “Measured in War” accompanied the event, showcasing powerful images taken by Territorial Defense fighters documenting the war’s many dimensions.

This year’s festival was supported by UMPB’s digital media outlets, including The Gaze and UATV English, both of which served as official media partners.