Three Ukrainian Volunteers, 12 Years of War, No Peace With Death: Exclusive ‘To Die to Live’ Trailer
Yuliia Hontaruk says about her doc, which just premiered at Karlovy Vary: “This is not really a film about war. It is about what war leaves inside people, and what they do with it.”
Yuliia Hontaruk says about her doc, which just premiered at Karlovy Vary: “This is not really a film about war. It is about what war leaves inside peo
Read Full Story at Hollywood Reporter →Why This Matters
Documentary films like *To Die to Live* force audiences to confront the psychological aftermath of prolonged conflict, which often receives less attention than the immediate horrors of war. By focusing on volunteers rather than soldiers, Hontaruk underscores how civilian resilience reshapes itself into a different kind of warfare—one waged against despair and fragmentation. This lens challenges conventional narratives of wartime heroism, instead revealing the quiet, enduring battles of ordinary people clinging to purpose.
Background Context
Ukraine’s volunteer movement emerged not as a formalized force but as grassroots necessity after the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the onset of the Donbas war, long before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Many volunteers—often civilians with no military background—found themselves thrust into roles spanning logistics, medical aid, or even combat, their motivations rooted as much in civic duty as in survival. The war’s longevity has blurred the line between frontline fighters and those who sustain them, creating a layered humanitarian crisis that extends beyond physical battlefields.
What Happens Next
The film’s release amid active combat suggests a growing appetite for narratives that humanize the war’s unseen toll, yet its timing also risks reinforcing a sense of inevitability around Ukraine’s struggle. The volunteers’ stories—those of reintegrating into civilian life or choosing to remain in the fight—hint at a societal reckoning that may unfold in real time, particularly as international support wavers. Observers should watch for how Ukrainian cultural institutions, including film festivals, adapt to amplify such voices amid shifting global priorities.
Bigger Picture
Filmmakers and journalists are increasingly prioritizing the emotional infrastructure of war, reflecting a broader shift in conflict reporting from spectacle to survival. This trend mirrors the rise of "trauma journalism," where storytelling serves as both witness and therapeutic intervention for communities fractured by protracted violence. Ukraine’s volunteers represent a microcosm of a global phenomenon: the erosion of civilian-military divides in modern warfare, where the line between caregiver and combatant dissolves under the weight of extended conflict.
