Premiere of "Science Warriors": From Antarctica to Ukraine’s Frontline
On August 30, Ukrainian foreign broadcasting channels Dim, FREEDOM, UATV. English, and The Gaze will premiere a documentary film produced by the State Enterprise “IBMPU” entitled Science Warriors about Ukrainian polar explorers who, despite the war, not only continue to develop science but also defend their country on the front lines. Filming took place in Antarctica, at the Akademik Vernadsky polar station, in Ukraine, near the front line, and on the research vessel Noosphere. The film will be released simultaneously in Ukrainian, English, and Russian. The premiere will be on the Dom channel at 21:00, on the FREEDOM channel at 10:30, on the UATV.English YouTube channel at 22:00, and on The Gaze at midnight.
The film Science Warriors is dedicated to Ukrainian scientists who are fighting for the freedom and independence of their country with weapons in their hands, as well as to fallen soldiers who gave their lives for Ukraine. The film was created by the state-owned enterprise “International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine” (IBMPU) in cooperation with the National Antarctic Scientific Center. This documentary journey behind the scenes of a Ukrainian scientific expedition to the Akademik Vernadsky polar station shows the striking contrast between the silence of the icy expanses and the roar of explosions on the front lines, between scientific discoveries and the struggle for the survival of their own state. Through unique footage from the polar station, personal stories of the protagonists, and scenes of life on the front lines, the film conveys the profound transformation of these people — from nature researchers to Ukrainian soldiers defending their values, their homeland, and the foundations of their existence.
"With this film, we want to show the world an example of Ukrainian resilience not only on the front lines, but also in science, to show our potential, to give a portrait of modern Ukraine, where science and resistance to Russian aggression are inextricably linked in the struggle for the future. The stories of our heroes tell of a calling that does not fade even in the darkest times, of a sense of duty, strength of spirit, intellect, dignity, and humanity. It is important that as many people as possible abroad hear and know about Ukraine in this context,“ says Yulia Bin, CEO of the State Enterprise ”IBMPU."
The author of the idea, Ukrainian foreign correspondent Henry Keen, became the first Ukrainian journalist aboard the research vessel Noosphere. To tell the story of Ukrainian scientists, he traveled a long way: from Kyiv to Poland, then to France, then through Paris to Santiago de Chile, the Magellan Islands, and aboard the Ukrainian icebreaker Noosphere to the Antarctic coast and finally to the front line in Ukraine.
"I can't believe we managed to do it. Getting permission is one thing, but gaining the trust of polar explorers is quite another. At first, they were cautious: a journalist from Ukraine with cameras... But in the end, we became a team, and I got incredible emotions from our scientists," says Henry Keen.
During the expedition, the film crew lived on the Noosphere, helped the ship and station crew with household chores, and in their free time, recorded the life and work of Ukrainian researchers. Every day, polar explorers at the Akademik Vernadsky station perform unique tasks — from measuring the ozone layer to weather observations, which Ukraine has been transmitting to Greenwich every three hours for 30 years in a row.
“There are those who arrived at the station straight from the front lines. They work here for a year, and then they go back into battle. These are Ukrainians. This is normal for them,” says the film’s author.
While watching the film, viewers will visit not only the icy continent, but also the hot spots of the Ukrainian front, where they will learn the stories of participants in previous expeditions who have now become “combat penguins” and are defending their homeland. Among them is Artem Ignatenko, a peer of Ukraine's independence, formerly a cook on the 26th Antarctic expedition. After Russia's full-scale invasion, he voluntarily joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“This is my country. I don't want to see an enemy called Russia here. Look around and see what they have done. If it weren't for them, none of this would have happened,” says Artem, emphasizing that his choice was the only right one.
As previously reported, the film Science Warriors won the “Best Director” award at the Cinema for Victory National Documentary Film Festival. The film premiered at the festival on February 27.
The documentary film Science Warriors was shot in Ukrainian and English for Ukrainian foreign broadcasting channels. The film has also been adapted into Russian for the FREEDOM TV channel and will soon be adapted into Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic for the platforms of the State Enterprise “IBMPU.”
Concept creator, journalist: Gennady Kurkin Director: Kyrylo Bin
Cinematographers: Ruslan Belozerov, Yevgen Savitsky, Oleksandr Khan
Post-production, editing director: Mikael Torgomyan
Watch the promo at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JkQySADSc0