The premiere of the fourth novella of the documentary VARTA, dedicated to Ukrainian defenders, took place at Tate Modern, one of the world's most famous museums. The VARTA film project consists of four short poetic film novels that show those who wear military uniforms and defend our independence. The fourth part is called “She” and tells about the women of Ukraine – combat medics and defenders.
VARTA is a series of documentary short stories launched in 2022 by Ukrainian photographer Mariana Shafro together with director Yevhen Matvienko. The creative duo had a very clear and complex goal – to change the emphasis in the Ukrainian information space and show the war not through events, but through the personalities behind them.
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The film's characters include Ukrainian helicopter pilots who flew combat missions on Mi-8s and Mi-24s during the battles for Kyiv and Irpin, the liberation of Kherson, and the operation to regain control of Zmiiniy Island. Tank crews, fighter pilots, and now women as medics and soldiers on the front lines are also in the spotlight.
The project's producer, Mariana Shafro, notes: “The war in Ukraine brought a lot of pain to everyone. But so that this pain does not consume us, we must turn it into strength and act. This is how the VARTA project was born for me. I feel that this is my contribution – to record our defenders in the chronicles of the new history of Ukraine.”
For his part, director Yevhen Matvienko, who is making the film while working side by side with the military, admits: “I'm tired of learning about Ukrainian heroes posthumously. It hurts to listen to their stories when they are no longer there and I can't thank them. That's why I decided to preserve their memories and portraits during their lifetime to give them a voice.”
During the London premiere, viewers had the opportunity to meet Ukrainian directors and some war heroes. The evening ended with a charity auction in support of Ukrainian defenders whose stories are shown in VARTA films.
