Winter on Fire(Documentary)

For my film for the week, I watched Winter on Fire. The documentary follows the events of the Euromaidan revolution of 2014 in Ukraine. The film begins at the end, opening with film footage of street fighting on day 91 of the protest, the day before the collapse of the government and the victory of the revolutionaries. The film then gives the background information on Viktor Yanukovic and EU integration. From there on the film simply follows the story of the movement from beginning to end, alternating between firsthand video footage and interviews with people who were in the movement. The fact that all of the footage used in the documentary appears to have actually have been filmed by protesters in real time gives the film a very unique, first person feeling. As you're watching the film, you feel as if you are there in the square with the people, and that all of these things are happening to you. What amazed me the most about this documentary was its ability to cover such a bloody and terrible thing, and find these incredibly beautiful touching moments in all the carnage. There are two images that have just become permanently stuck in my head after watching this, the first being the major Cathedral in Kiev opening its doors to protect terrorized and wounded protesters from the brutality of the Berkut secret police, ringing every bell in the Cathedral, something it had not done since the city was under siege by the Mongols in 1240, to show the church's solidarity with the people. The other image is the young men in Maidan square forming a human chain around the camp set up by the protesters, taking a brutal beating with iron clubs and guns at the hands of the Berkut in order to keep them from reaching the elderly, women, and children, and while they're being so horribly abused, they never stopped singing their national anthem or chanting the slogans of the revolution. The film beautifully documents the heroism of the revolutionaries in the face of such savage attacks by the government, and the viewer cannot help but feel incredibly inspired and moved at this. People of all ages, faiths, and walks of life living together as a gigantic family, defending each other and standing up for what they believe in. You also can't help but feel enraged and disgusted at the despicable acts of the Berkut and the Titushky, who went well above and beyond what was necessary and reasonable in their efforts to break up the protests, beating and even murdering peaceful, unarmed protesters. And through all of this the people remained resolute. They stood together, took care of their own, and refused to leave or be broken until their voices had been heard. This documentary is one of the most moving things I have ever watched, as it shows humanity at its very best in the face of such cruelty and evil, and those people declaring that they will not allow their children to grow up fear, or in anything less than the freedom all people deserve.