Sonya Vseliubska is a London-based Ukrainian film critic and film studies student at the University of the Arts London. Vseliubska is a member of the Ukrainian Film Critic Union, the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), and the Golden Globe Voter.
When a country goes through a war, documentarians often feel empowered to capture reality with the aim of creatively reflecting the pain on both a national and personal level. As the history of documentary cinema shows, such conditions can be the birthplace of groundbreaking films that shape the genre. Yet, as film theorist Bill Nichols wrote, "The successful careers of many documentary filmmakers have been built on the misfortune of others."
During Ukraine's 10 years of war, approaches to docu