This Friday marks a full year since the war in Ukraine intensified, with global attention growing by the day. Across cinema and television, filmmakers and journalists have kept pace, offering a widening array of perspectives on the conflict. Notable figures in the film world have announced ambitious projects and tributes that foreground Ukrainian resilience and leadership, underscoring how the artistic community is interpreting the ongoing crisis. A range of creators are set to bring fresh viewpoints from Kyiv and other affected regions to audiences in Canada, the United States, and beyond.
This week, as the first anniversary of the escalation arrives, several free premieres examine the war from multiple angles. The slate mixes documentary formats with fictional adaptations, each threading human stories through the broader mosaic of military and political events. A central thread follows a mother searching for her son inside a system that has imprisoned him, offering a poignant lens on family and endurance amid the Donbas conflict.
Mother (Arte.tv)
While most works about the Ukraine war lean into documentary forms, fiction finds a darkly resonant place as well. The free European cultural streaming platform presents a four-part mini-series that revisits themes from a story once withdrawn in 2021. It follows Nina, a nurse in a Ukrainian hospital, whose birthday brings news that her son Vital, who volunteered at the front to defend his country, has been captured in Donbas. Determined, she embarks on a perilous journey to locate him. The narrative is anchored by a human focus that remains relevant to current events, inviting viewers to reflect on the immediate costs of war.
Missing children of Ukraine (Saturday 25. TVE-1. 22:00, in Weekly Report)
This investigative documentary, produced in cooperation with the EBU Investigative Journalism Network, examines the troubling disappearance and transfer of Ukrainian children amid wartime upheaval. It details how some have been moved to Russia under guardianship schemes that later facilitated citizenship claims, enabling temporary and sometimes permanent adoptions by Russian families. The report documents official responses, humanitarian concerns, and the international condemnation voiced by governments, non-governmental organizations, and the United Nations. The numbers cited point to thousands of children affected, with ongoing efforts by families and international bodies to secure reunifications.
Ukraine, travel to other fronts (TV3alacarta)
Journalists explore life away from the front lines, focusing on civilians who bear the brunt of conflict. The program shows stories of resilience and collective action as ordinary people become de facto protectors and commentators of their own reality. It highlights how communities organize to support neighbors, coordinate information, and sustain hope in the face of disruption. From improvised medical responses to acts of cultural resistance, the piece captures the human texture of a nation under stress.
Spring in Mariupol (Thursday 23. 2:00 p.m. on Documents TV)
Italian journalist Maurizio Vezzosi captures the voices of residents in a city deeply scarred by the war. Mariupol, once a steel powerhouse, has endured sieges and strategic shifts that shaped the region’s future. The documentary compiles testimonies from a population that has faced a long siege and ongoing threats, offering intimate portraits of daily life under extraordinary pressure. Its narrative foregrounds the human impact of strategic choices and the stubborn spirit of a community pressing forward.
Ukraine: The war diary of a pediatrician (Arte.tv)
This documentary follows Dr. Vira Primakova, an anesthesiologist at Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Lviv, as she navigates the daily realities of caring for young patients amid conflict. With the husband on the front lines and resources stretched, she expands her role to include psychological support for both patients and families, addressing trauma and resilience in equal measure. The film offers a candid look at how medical staff adapt to crisis conditions while continuing to provide essential care for children under siege.
Zelensky’s story (Thursday 23. 2, 23:00)
When a leading filmmaker presented a documentary about Ukraine’s president, the spotlight turned to Volodymyr Zelensky, whose ascent from comedian to head of state has become a defining element of the war narrative. The project traces Zelensky’s unlikely trajectory from television figure to wartime leader, and its resonance with audiences around the world who have followed Ukraine’s resistance. The story also situates his experience within broader media recognition and the evolving role of political leadership under crisis.
Duel: Zelenski against Putin (Arte.tv)
A German documentary examines the two leaders at the center of the conflict, tracing shifts in rhetoric, strategy, and international response. It surveys the evolution of propaganda, diplomacy, and military decisions across the past year, drawing on insights from diplomats, political scientists, military analysts, and journalists from multiple languages. The program offers context for understanding how each actor has shaped the course of the war.
EASTERN PARTS. TOMORROW: VISIONS FOR UKRAINE (Arte.tv)
In a compelling cross-section of voices, a young Ukrainian in exile returns from Berlin to share ideas that helped families cope with the crisis. The portraits range from a computer scientist building portable power kits to a Kiev entrepreneur opening a cafe under pressure. The piece also highlights the aspirations of Ukraine’s citizens who see a future beyond the war, including the creative and entrepreneurial energy that persists despite upheaval. It conveys a sense of optimism among many who imagine Ukraine joining the European Union in the coming decade and thriving as a civilian-led society.