Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

An inspiring documentary about the Ukrainian people's uprising against an oppressive regime and their successful demands that the Ukraine join the European Union.

Two years ago, my wife and I watched all of the Academy Award nominees for Best Documentary Feature before the big show. One of them was "The Square," about a similar situation in Egypt. Yet things ended badly in that film; the people fought to overthrow the regime in place but didn't have anything to replace it with, so they exchanged one bad set of leaders for another. In "Winter on Fire," a major difference is that the Ukrainian people were able to organize themselves into a de facto political party, with specific demands. Their ability to focus on a specific set of objectives is largely what made their effort successful, and the sheer joy of watching people unite and effect change for the greater good made me absolutely love the Ukrainian people and hope that Americans could do the same if faced with similar challenges.

Grade: A

This astonishing documentary tells the story of the Ukrainian uprising of 2014. Considering what's happening in 2022, everyone should see it. Although it doesn't offer an in depth analysis from all sides, which isn't really surprising given the odious nature of the regime at the time, it was filmed within the demonstrations and by the demonstrators, and is often a devastating and horrific account given the brutality of the regime's reaction. It is often hard to watch, however, it's also ultimately inspiring and impressive, and is a great tribute to the tenacity and fighting spirit of the Ukrainians, their hopes for their country then , and now.

This documentary is raw and bloody, and it describes the internal struggle of the Ukrainian people to overthrow a dictator who betrayed them. Ukraine wanted to become part of the European Union and to move away from Putin's Russia in late 2013.

The pro-Russian leader of the Ukraine Victor Yanukovich stunned the people of his country by refusing to sign an agreement to join the EU and, instead, endorsed a plan to become part of Putin's Russian alliance. The Ukrainian people took to the streets of the capital city. What followed was a bloodbath as armed troops murdered unarmed civilians. The film shows an incredible degree of courage and determination to fight back against the government troops even when much blood was running in the streets.

As the people took to the streets in greater numbers, Yanukovych assumed greater dictatorial power through the Parliament and attempted to rule an unwilling public through force. The film covers a period of about 90 days from the beginning of the uprising to the resignation of Yanukovych, who fled to Russia for protection from his people. The government escalated the violence throughout the uprising, but the Ukrainians were relentless in pursuit of a free country and their desire to become part of the European Union.

I wonder why we didn't get much news about this in our media, although I am grateful that we got the full story on the Kardashians while this was happening. Is Lamar out of rehab yet?

The Good: It's easy, as a person fascinated by geopolitics and political science, to sometimes "dehumanize" the people involved. We talk about the powerful people and speculate about the power dynamics at play; what the "Russians" are planning and what the fate of "Ukraine" will be. Often, without thinking about the human beings whose lives, welfare, hopes, and aspirations are at stake. I think it's important for anyone interested in world politics to go beyond the strategy, the ideologies and macro trends to watch documentaries that illustrate the humanity of these sweeping historical moments. Winter on Fire does this incredibly well.

The footage captured here is AMAZING. Not only because of how raw it is, but how visually stunning these scenes are. Yes, it's a little weird to say this, but the contrast between the snow covered rooftops of Kiev, with the piles of burning tires, the lines of policemen and protestors, the blood, the chaos...it's honestly quite the sight to see. I also loved how this film didn't romanticize or shy away from the trauma, the violence, the desperation, and resolve required to overthrow a government. It really humanizes these events for audiences who may tend to view these things as abstract and distant.

Yet, in the bloody street battles and sieging captured in this film, there are countless beautiful moments of humanity. There's a tendency to talk about Ukraine as a doomed country; how it's the second poorest country in Europe, destined to be swallowed by Russia, whose young people are either fleeing or not having enough children to maintain the country into the future. But it's hard to think this way after watching this film, honestly.

The documentarian also does a fantastic job introducing us to people whom would eventually be seen as heroes in the "new Ukraine." Yet, it doesn't valourize anyone to the point where we lose sight of the broader social movement that Maidan really was.

The Bad: The movie is a tad bit on the long side, which I can see being an issue for some. After several repeating scenes of street battles, they do sometimes blend together. I also felt the film missed a bit on the context; while I was aware of a lot of Ukrainian history up until 2014, and I can see why someone unfamiliar with this history may be a bit confused. I see it primarily as an artistic choice and completely understand why they would prefer focusing on the Maidan, but you kind of need to know a bit about the Ukrainian-Russian relationship to fully get the picture.

The Ugly: Winter on Fire is essential for anyone who is fascinated by this region of the world. The event post-Revolution are what the international media focus on; the proxy war between the EU and Russia, the Donbass War and annexation of Crimea. Yet, almost forgotten is the 93 day struggle that led to the sea change in European geopolitics seven years ago. It is one of the most compelling, accessible, and enthralling documentaries I've seen in quite a while, and perhaps, even more important today than in 2015.

This is a must see documentary, even if you have opposing views to those displayed in it. Although many holes are left in deciphering what is really going on within Ukraine and between Russia and Ukraine, it does allow you to get one step closer to understanding. I thought it was near perfect!

I am an American living in Kiev for a few months and have been wanting to learn more about this incredible country and the trouble it has been and is facing. I found this review very informative and patriotic. It was helpful in understanding the people and the current situation and I even gained some Ukrainian pride myself!