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10.0 1h 49m

Dogs and War: What I saw in Ukraine

"A Japanese filmaker's three-year journey in Ukraine, portraying the lives of animals and humans in war. "Through dogs' eyes, the truth of war/""

When Russia invaded in February 2022. Japanese director Akane Yamada travelled to the war zone to document an often-overlooked story - the fate of animals and the people who refuse to abandon them. Known for her work in disaster zones since Fukushima, Yamada witnessed animal welfare groups mobilising at the Polish border to help refugees and their pets, and followed Ukrainians who continued to adopt shelter animals amid the chaos. In Borodianka, near Kyiv, she uncovered the tragic deaths of shelter dogs left behind during occupation. Her three-year investigation led her deep into Ukraine's frontline regions, from flooded Kherson after the Kahkovka Dam's destruction to a children's hospital in Kyiv struck by a missile. Through the stories of people who refuse to abandon animals even amid the devastation of war, this documentary portrays the resilience and dignity of those who refuse to surrender to violence.

Top Cast

  • Akane Yamada

    Akane Yamada

    Them self

  • Masahiro Higashide

    Masahiro Higashide

    Narrator

  • Viktor Kopach

    Viktor Kopach

    Animal-id.net Representative

  • Przemysław Malik

    Przemysław Malik

    Centaurus Foundation Shelter Manager, Poland

  • Olena Kolesnykova

    Olena Kolesnykova

    Representatives of Animal Protection Group "Hvostata Banda", Ukraine

  • Anastasiia Onikova

    Anastasiia Onikova

    Representatives of Animal Protection Group "Hvostata Banda", Ukraine

  • Ira Samoilenko

    Ira Samoilenko

    Member of Animal Protection Group "Hvostata Banda", Ukraine

  • Representative of BREAKING THE CHAINS, UK

    Representative of BREAKING THE CHAINS, UK

    Tom Tommies

Overview

When Russia invaded in February 2022. Japanese director Akane Yamada travelled to the war zone to document an often-overlooked story - the fate of animals and the people who refuse to abandon them. Known for her work in disaster zones since Fukushima, Yamada witnessed animal welfare groups mobilising at the Polish border to help refugees and their pets, and followed Ukrainians who continued to adopt shelter animals amid the chaos. In Borodianka, near Kyiv, she uncovered the tragic deaths of shelter dogs left behind during occupation. Her three-year investigation led her deep into Ukraine's frontline regions, from flooded Kherson after the Kahkovka Dam's destruction to a children's hospital in Kyiv struck by a missile. Through the stories of people who refuse to abandon animals even amid the devastation of war, this documentary portrays the resilience and dignity of those who refuse to surrender to violence.

Rating

10.0 / 10
1 Reviews
1 Popular

Trailers & Clips

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