The Ukrainian documentary Militantropos has been selected for the "Directors' Fortnight" program at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, festival organizers announced on April 15.
Created as a co-production between Ukraine, Austria, and France, the film is part of a planned triptych alongside Palingenesion and Cosmomorphosis, each exploring how Russia’s war in Ukraine has transformed people, environments, and global perspectives.
Militantropos will have its world premiere at the festival, and it is currently the only full-length Ukrainian film represented in Cannes this year.
The project, which began development in 2022, has received international support, including a 25,000 euro ($28,000) grant from the IDFA documentary film festival.
The title Militantropos, coined by the film's directors, is a neologism formed from Latin and Greek roots—milit meaning "warrior" and anthropos meaning "human"—and refers to a person reshaped by war, whose survival relies on constant adaptation. The film was directed collaboratively by Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova & Simon Mozgovyi.
In 2022, the Cannes jury granted their “Special Award” to Mariupolis 2, directed by Lithuanian filmmaker Mantas Kvedaravicius, who was captured and killed by Russian forces on April 3 while documenting atrocities in Mariupol.
Sonya Bandouil
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