GRANTEE
Independent Film Director
This project will involve a series of videos about the ecocide in Ukraine, which is happening because of the war with Russia. I will develop and create videos on the following topics:
• The Irpin River—which saved Kyiv from the Russian offensive when Ukrainian troops opened a dam holding back its waters, and which earlier was almost destroyed by the Soviet government after drying up the floodplain. This river now needs help. More generally, this video will address the problems of rivers affected by wartime, which are a source of drinking water in Ukraine.
• Fires in the red forest near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The lands cleared by Russian tanks are threatened by radiation and flooding of the forest to ward off fires. Furthermore, fires at oil depots in Ukraine, and how they will affect the environment; their victims are not only people but also all living things that surrounding the site.
• The use of phosphorus shells by Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine, which led to both damage to the soil and the entry of hazardous substances into the groundwater. Explosions of bombs and ordinance have killed thousands of birds and animals, and some endangered species are threatened with extinction.
The videos will be based on a chronicle of what the affected areas used to look like, with infographics and expert comments, and footage of recorded crimes committed by the Russian military.