A documentary film about the Ukrainian defenders of the Third Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been released on the Netflix streaming service.
The film, We Were Recruits, was directed by renowned Ukrainian filmmaker Lubomyr Levytskyi, known for his films Shadows of Unforgotten Ancestors, Follow Me, and The Adit. “For me, this work is a message film, a motivational film, and a manifesto film for future recruits, as well as for the global audience, so that they can understand what kind of real heroes they are today. In his interviews, our hero shows the fighters not only as professional soldiers but also as ordinary people, philosophers, just guys who dream of a family and a peaceful life in a peaceful country,” the director said.
Netflix demonstrates stable support for Ukrainian artists and the Ukrainian people as a whole in the fight against Russian aggression, which deserves respect and honor.
In April, the Ukrainian Film Academy, with the support of the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, launched the next stage of a program to help Ukrainian screenwriters and producers. And over the last two years about 200 industry professionals have received stipends for creative purposes. Also education and mentoring have been offered to 670 Ukrainian filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and others in the creative community. With such support of Netflix, the Ukrainian Film Academy has now aided a total of 73 film projects with script development grants and 10 advanced film projects offering financial assistance to help with post-production.
Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová said: “We are confident that this collaboration of the EU-financed House of Europe and Netflix will amplify Ukrainian voices globally and give a powerful boost to the Ukrainian cinema. Amidst Russian military aggression, it is vital that the world hears not only about Ukrainians but also from Ukrainians. The battle is fought not only on the physical battlefield but also in people’s hearts and minds. European Union’s support for Ukrainian culture remains steadfast in both peace and wartime. It highlights EU’s commitment to cultural resilience and international solidarity with Ukraine”.
