SYNOPSIS

Amidst the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists defiantly find inspiration and beauty as they defend their culture and their country. In a war waged by professional soldiers against ordinary civilians, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov choose to stay behind, armed with their art, their cameras, and, for the first time in their lives, their guns. Despite daily shelling, Anya finds resistance and purpose in her art, Andrey takes the dangerous journey to get his young family to safety abroad, and Slava becomes a weapons instructor for ordinary people who have become unlikely soldiers. As the war intensifies, Andrey picks up his camera to film their story, and on tiny porcelain figurines, Anya and Slava capture their idyllic past, uncertain present, and hope for the future.

Co-directed by Leontyev and Brendan Bellomo, with extraordinary footage from first-time cinematographer Stefanov, Porcelain War embodies the passion and fight, that only an artist can put back into the world when it’s crumbling around them.

FESTIVALS & AWARDS

Academy Awards Nomination for Best Documentary Feature Film
Sundance, Winner U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary
Directors Guild of America Awards, Winner Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary
Producers Guild of America Awards Nominee, Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures
American Society of Cinematographers Nominee, Documentary Award
Cinema Eye Honors, Winner Audience Choice Prize; Nominee for Production, Cinematography, and Visual Design
AACTA Awards Nominee, Best Documentary
Australian Film Critics Association (AusCritic) Awards Winner
The Dupont Columbia Award Winner
Seattle International Film Festival, Winner Golden Space Needle Audience Award
HotDocs, Top 20 Audience Favourite
DOC NYC Short List: Features Official Selection
Critics Choice Documentary Award, Nominated for Best New Documentary Filmmakers, and Best Political Documentary
Hollywood Professional Association Awards, Winner Outstanding Sound
Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival, Winner Special Jury Award for Directing
Dallas International Film Festival, Winner Best Directing
Nantucket Film Festival, Winner Audience Award
Boulder International Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary and Audience Award
Saratosa Film Festival, Winner Special Jury Mention
Ashland Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary
Heartland International Film Festival, Winner Grand Prize
Sydney Film Festival, Runner-Up International Feature Audience Award
Woods Hole Film Festival, Winner Best of the Fest, Grand Jury Award, Audience Award, Directors’ Choice Awards
Port Townsend Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary Feature, Audience Choice, and Jim Ewing Awards
Woodstock Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary, Best Editing
Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival, Winner Best Documentary Feature Award, Gamble-Paison Prize for Best International Feature
Sarasota Film Festival, Documentary Feature Jury Special Mention
Mountainfilm, Jury Honorable Mention
Bali International Film Festival Balinale, Winner Jury Special Award
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, Winner Audience Award
Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival Winner Audience Choice Best Documentary
Lunenburg Doc Fest, Winner Audience Choice Award
Breckenridge Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary
Nashville Film Festival, Nashville PBS Human Spirit Award
Charlotte Film Festival, Jury Honorable Mention
Chagrin Documentary Film Festival, Winner Best of Fest
Boise Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary
Orcas Island Film Festival, Winner Audience Award for Best Documentary
New Hampshire Film Festival, Best Documentary Feature
Newport Beach International Film Festival, Special Award Exceptional Merit Documentary
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, Winner Audience Choice Feature
Byron Bay International Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary and Cinematography
Friday Harbor Film Festival, Audience Choice Best Overall
Stockholm International Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary
St Louis International Film Festival, Best Documentary and International Film
Coast Film & Music Festival, Best Feature Documentary
Women and the World International Film Festival, Best Documentary Film and Audience Choice Award

HOW TO SUPPORT

Come Back Alive Foundation
Military Assistance and Veteran Rehabilitation

Birds Project
Medical Supplies for Military and Civilians

Musicians Defend Ukraine
Charity Fund That Helps Musicians in Times of War

Zgraya Volunteer Group
Food, Equipment and Food Supplies

PUBLICITY

ACME PR
Nancy Willen
nancywillen@acmepr.net

SALES

Submarine
info@submarine.com
+1 212-625-1410

WHERE TO WATCH

Docplay (AUS & NZ)

In theatres (USA)