When art feels the call of war

"The writing of Ukrainian Serhiy Zhadan flows freely in his narrative and poetry. When he speaks, his words are charged with force, with rage, and without restraint. Beside us is a society of war criminals, looters, rapists, and murderers. The novelist, poet, and activist utters this phrase, directed at Russia, in one of the six documentaries that comprise Culture vs. War, a project launched from the outskirts of Kyiv over three years ago, shortly after the start of Moscow's large-scale invasion."

"It has a dual purpose: to show the war through the eyes of creators and artists, some even located near the front lines, and to protect the country's culture, a pillar of national identity that the Kremlin seeks to annihilate. We try to touch other parts of the human soul, explains Alina Krasnianska, the project's executive producer, in a message exchange, to get closer to people, tired of the journalistic coverage of this war."

"Zhadan, author of best-selling books such as Voroshilovgrad and The Orphanage, is not one for interviews, making the 16-minute documentary about his involvement in the defense of Ukraine a true gem. Directed by Kadim Tasarov, the man who launched Culture vs. War after surviving the Russian siege of Bucha, the footage follows the writer as he raises funds for the army."

"His poetry plays in the background, accompanied by his reflections. Speaking into the microphone, with a touch of lyricism, he says: You try to see a human being even in your enemy. You think: if I don't want to hurt you, why do you want to hurt me; if I don't want to kill you, why do you want to kill me?"

Culture vs. War is a six-part documentary project launched near Kyiv shortly after Russia's large-scale invasion to show the war through creators' eyes and to protect Ukrainian culture. The series features artists and creators, some near front lines, documenting lived experiences and the assault on national identity. Serhiy Zhadan appears in a 16-minute film about his fundraising and service with the Khartia Brigade, with his poetry and reflections voiced over footage. Kadim Tasarov directed Zhadan's episode after surviving the siege of Bucha. The series received support from local film organizations, the European Commission, and Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is available online for free.

Read at english.elpais.com