This poetic essay, driven by Vitaly Mansky's emotions – the war rages in his homeland, Ukraine – examines the presence of military equipment in urban environments. The film consists of interconnected etudes about humans and military equipment in cities of different countries. In some, military vehicles are brought in for parades, in some others – used for exhibitions or fairs. They also serve as a festivity decoration or are placed on pedestals as a constant reminder. At the same time, elsewhere, both the elderly and youngsters come to see the destroyed military equipment of the aggressor state. Or just line up for an idyllic photo shoot with the means acquired by the state to protect them.
Latvia, Ukraine, Czech Republic 2024, '39
DIRECTOR: Vitaly Mansky
CAMERA: Valdis Celmiņš
MONTAGE: Matvey Troshinkin
PRODUCERS: Natalia Manskaia, Nataliia Khazan, Filip Remunda, Tereza Horska, Vit Klusak
PRODUCTION: Vertov, Braha Production Company, Hypermarket Film
FESTIVALS & AWARDS:
IDFA (2024)
Vitaly Mansky
Vitaly Manskiy was born in 1963 in Lviv, Ukraine (at that time,
the Ukrainian SSR). He graduated from VGIK (the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography) in 1989 and has become one of the most prominent contemporary documentary filmmakers and producers.
He has directed more than 30 films that have been screened at nearly every major festival worldwide and has received over 100 international awards. In 2007, he founded and became the president of the International Festival of Creative Documentary Films Artdocfest in Russia. Its operation was suspended in 2022 due to the prevailing censorship and the invasion of Ukraine. He is currently being persecuted by Russian authorities for expressing his civic stance. In 2020, he founded and became the president of the International Documentary Film Festival Artdocfest/Riga in Latvia, having emigrated from Russia in 2014. Member of the American Film Academy (Oscar).
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