Donbass (2018)
Directed by Sergei Loznitsa
Free, but ticketed
Not rated – 121 min
Part of the Ukrainian Homelands Film Series
Sergei Loznitsa’s Donbass consists of a series of narrative fragments touching upon the nature of the current war between Russia and Ukraine. The film departs from a conventional depiction of war: a chronological and historical order is substituted with a grotesque and phantasmagorical scene revealing the absurdity of destruction. How does propaganda shape the individual’s perception of events? How does “fake news” construct alternative truths and realities? In a masterfully constructed film, which was awarded Un Certain Regard Award for Best Director at Cannes, Loznitsa delves into the psychology of war. In English and Russian with English subtitles.
The Ukrainian Homelands film series is supported through IU Cinema’s Creative Collaborations program. Curated by Nataliya Shpylova-Saeed and Svitlana Melnyk of the Ukrainian Studies Organization with support from IU Cinema, College of Arts and Sciences’ Themester 2019: Remembering and Forgetting, Russian and East European Institute, Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures, College Office of International Affairs, the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, and the Center for Documentary Research and Practice.