After his powerful documentary 20 Days in Mariupol [+lire aussi :
critique
interview : Mstyslav Chernov
fiche film], Oscar winner and Associated Press reporter Mstyslav Chernov chooses to depict the Russo-Ukrainian war from a different perspective in 2000 Meters to Andriivka [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
fiche film]. Amid the failing 2023 counteroffensive, the Ukrainian filmmaker joins a Ukrainian platoon – the Third Assault Brigade, composed of volunteers – as they navigate a mile of heavily fortified forest to reclaim the strategic titular village from Russian occupation. The platoon is tasked with reaching and liberating the village while facing relentless enemy fire, minefields and other perils.

In this documentary, screened in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at Sundance, where it won the Directing Award (see the news), Chernov highlights the crucial role of trench warfare for the Ukrainian infantry and exposes the brutal realities of the battlefield. While this may seem self-evident, the close proximity of his shots and the empathetic bond he establishes with some of the young recruits make the experience all the more vivid and harrowing. As they push deeper into their devastated homeland, we witness their haunting fate and the pervasive fear of a never-ending war – a sentiment that lingers over them, and understandably so.

Chernov conveys the harshness and horrors of the battlefield through three distinct visual approaches. The first is footage filmed from his own bodycam, which immerses us in the combat. The second consists of drone shots, which at times create surreal moments of suspension while at others offer an aerial perspective, revealing the confined space in which these battles unfold. The third approach includes brief yet poignant conversations that Chernov engages in during moments of apparent respite, allowing us to get closer to some of the protagonists.

Among them is Fedya, a 24-year-old former warehouse worker who states that he is there “to fight, not to serve”. Despite his charisma and determination as a leader, he is wounded before our very eyes, underscoring the brutal immediacy of war, where every second matters and injuries – or even death – can occur in an instant.

The film is structured into chapters marking the platoon’s progress towards their ultimate goal, Andriivka, interspersed with a dry, matter-of-fact voice-over in English by Chernov himself. It is also filled with raw moments of truth and despair. In one instance, a Ukrainian soldier angrily asks a wounded enemy, “Do you think I wished to fight against you at the age of 19?” In another, we are taken far from the battlefield to witness the funeral of a fallen comrade.

All in all, Chernov’s gaze remains both journalistic and militant – an apparent paradox that his film fully embodies. He is inevitably involved and emotionally invested, yet he strives to maintain a certain detachment, focusing on documenting the tragic events unfolding before him.

2000 Meters to Andriivka was produced by Chernov himself, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath and Alex Babenko for Frontline and AP Production. UK-based sales agent Dogwoof is handling the feature’s international sales.