GRANTEE
Ark of Mercy is a feature documentary film (44 min) which tells the story of a unique evacuation bus called “Austrian,” transferring wounded Ukrainian soldiers from front-line hospitals, and the legendary crew of this “ward on wheels.” The medical equipment on board costs approximately 2.5 million UAH. Contrary to a civilian ambulance, which can take only one or two patients on board, this bus can carry up to 33 wounded at once. The crew of “Austrian” has saved more than 2,000 soldiers’ lives. A typical front-line trip lasts 9-10 hours, usually at night. The film crew participated in an evacuation during summer 2024 and spent two days in the paramedics’ shoes. They plan to repeat the filming in half a year to learn about the fate of the medics. “Austrian” got its name from the late paramedic Natalia Frauscher, callsign “Austrian,” who lived in Austria for a couple of years before returning to Ukraine after the full-scale invasion.