"Timestamp," directed by Kateryna Gornostai, encapsulates the resilience of Ukrainian schools following Russia's invasion. The film features children learning in unconventional settings like subway stations, emphasizing safety and adaptability. It highlights the grave dangers presented by Russian tactics, such as booby-trapping toys to harm civilians. The documentary avoids traditional commentary, using a mosaic of classroom scenes to portray the challenges and determination of educators and students alike, providing a profound commentary on the impact of war on education without direct imagery of conflict.
At first look, this could be any group of young schoolchildren learning English as a second language. They repeat together the names of the different everyday objects shown on a screen: 'ball!'; 'doll!'.
Instead, the documentary filmmaker offers a mosaic of scenes from different elementary and high school classrooms across Ukraine. On-screen captions identify their geographical position, and their distance from the frontline.
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