Porcelain War
{{Short description|2024 documentary film about the war in Ukraine}}
{{Infobox film
| image = File:Porcelain_War.jpg
| caption = Official poster
| director = {{Plainlist|
}}
| writer = {{Plainlist|
- Brendan Bellomo
- Aniela Sidorska
- Paula DuPré Pesmen
- Slava Leontyev
}}
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Aniela Sidorska
- Paula DuPré Pesmen
- Camilla Mazzaferro
- Olivia Ahnemann
}}
| starring =
| cinematography = Andrey Stefanov
| editing = {{Plainlist|
- Brendan Bellomo
- Aniela Sidorska
- Kelly Cameron
}}
| music = DakhaBrakha
| animator = BluBlu Studios
| studio = {{Plainlist|
- Finch No Worries
- Imaginary Lane
}}
| distributor = Picturehouse
| released = {{Film date|2024|1|20|Sundance|2024|11|22|United States}}
| runtime = 87 minutes
| country = {{Plainlist|
- United States
- Australia
- Ukraine
}}
| language = {{Plainlist|
- Ukrainian
- English
- Russian
}}
| budget =
| gross = $25,213{{Cite web |title= Porcelain War (2024) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1897103361/?ref_=bo_da_table_16 |publisher=Box Office Mojo |access-date=December 2, 2024}}{{Cite web |title= Porcelain War – Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Porcelain-War-(2024)#tab=summary|website=The Numbers |access-date=December 2, 2024}}
}}
Porcelain War is a 2024 documentary film directed by Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev. It won the 2024 Sundance Festival Grand Jury Prize and follows the experience of Ukrainian artists as they face the current Russian occupation in Ukraine.{{Cite web |last=Fienberg |first=Daniel |date=2024-01-27 |title='Porcelain War' Review: Intimate Reflection on Making Art in Wartime Ukraine Is Beautiful but Frustrating |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/porcelain-war-review-ukraine-1235808683/ |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-26 |title=Sundance's top prizes go to 'In the Summers' and 'Porcelain War' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-01-26/sundance-2024-top-prizes-in-the-summers-porcelain-war |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-26 |title='In the Summers' and 'Porcelain War' win top prizes at Sundance Film Festival |url=https://apnews.com/article/sundance-film-festival-2024-awards-10e1779991f77586267d6882dd1b19c9 |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=AP News |language=en}}
The documentary had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Documentary Competition Grand Jury Prize. At the 97th Academy Awards it was nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film.
Premise
Porcelain War follows Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov during the war in Ukraine. All of them join the Ukrainian defense,{{Cite web |last=Roka |first=Les |orig-date=January 24, 2024 |title=Sundance 2024: Porcelain War is extraordinary testament in new frame of documentary filmmaking about war combat, indispensable presence of art |url=https://www.theutahreview.com/sundance-2024-porcelain-war-is-extraordinary-testament-in-new-frame-of-documentary-filmmaking-about-war-combat-indispensable-presence-of-art/ |website=The Utah Review|date=24 January 2024 }} and Slava works as a machine gun trainer. Even as the war goes on, Slava and Anya create porcelain figurines{{Cite news |last=Painter |first=Ryan |date=January 20, 2024 |title=Sundance 2024: 'Porcelain War' is a testament to the resiliency of the people of Ukraine |url=https://kval.com/news/entertainment/sundance-2024-porcelain-war-ukraine-russian-invasion |work=KVAL 13}} in resistance to the war. The film emphasizes the purpose of art during conflict as well as national pride.{{Cite web |last=Small |first=Courtney |date=2024-01-23 |title=Porcelain War Review: The Fragile Nature of Conflict |url=https://povmagazine.com/porcelain-war-review-the-fragile-nature-of-conflict/ |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=POV Magazine |language=en-US}} The soundtrack for the movie features music by Ukrainian Folk/ethno-chaos band DakhaBrakha who gave their entire discography for the film with a scene of their live performance during the credits.
The footage in Porcelain War includes Ukrainian landscape as well as the wreckage caused by war missiles.
Production
War footage for Porcelain War was captured by GoPro action cameras and aerial drones. The movie also features hand drawn and CGI animation scenes from Polish company BluBlu Studios.
Release
The film won the Grand Jury Prize for the U.S. documentary category in the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.{{Cite news |last=Olsen |first=Mark |date=January 26, 2024 |title=Sundance's top prizes go to 'In the Summers' and 'Porcelain War' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-01-26/sundance-2024-top-prizes-in-the-summers-porcelain-war |work=Los Angeles Times}} Bellomo, who created the film along with Leontyev, explained that the film received an award "because of the bravery of the people of Ukraine".{{Cite news |last=Associated Press |title='In the Summers' and 'Porcelain War' Win Top Prizes at Sundance Film Festival |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/entertainment/articles/2024-01-26/in-the-summers-and-porcelain-war-win-top-prizes-at-sundance-film-festival |work=U.S. News & World Report}} The film was also sponsored by the Utah Film Center. In August 2024, Picturehouse acquired distribution rights to the film.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/08/porcelain-war-ukraine-documentary-picturehouse-acquisition-1236040695/|title=Oscar Contender 'Porcelain War,' Documentary On Remarkable Artists In Wartime Ukraine, Acquired By Picturehouse|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Matthew|last=Carey|date=August 14, 2024|access-date=August 21, 2024}}
Reception
The film received widespread critical acclaim. It holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 43 reviews, with the website's critics consensus reading, "Porcelain War presents harrowing footage from the frontlines of a terrible conflict while treasuring the creativity that flourishes in spite of the chaos, yielding a profound humanistic statement on resilience."{{cite web|title=Porcelain War (2024)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=9 May 2025|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/porcelain_war}} Writing for the Los Angeles Times, critic Robert Abele described Porcelain War as "a sublime and stirring documentary."{{Cite web |last=Abele |first=Robert |date=2024-11-27 |title=Review: Defending one's homeland and the right to make art become common cause in 'Porcelain War' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-11-27/porcelain-war-review-ukraine-sundance-documentary |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}
It has been nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards.{{Cite web |title=97TH OSCARS® SHORTLISTS IN 10 AWARD CATEGORIES ANNOUNCED |url=https://press.oscars.org/news/97th-oscarsr-shortlists-10-award-categories-announced |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=press.oscars.org |language=en}}
= Accolades =
Gallery
File:Sundance Film Festival 2024 - Porcelain War - Andrey Stefanov, Sonya Stefanova, Anya Stefanova, and Olena Herasymenko-104A2058.jpg|Sonya Stefanova, Andrey Stefanov, Anya Stefanova, and Olena Herasymenko
File:Sundance Film Festival 2024 - Porcelain War - Anya Stasenko-104A2036.jpg|Anya Stasenko
File:Sundance Film Festival 2024 - Porcelain War - Brendan Bellomo-104A2016.jpg|Director Brendan Bellomo
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=30294282}}
{{Commons category|Porcelain War}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes|porcelain_war}}
Category:2024 documentary films
Category:American documentary films
Category:Australian documentary films
Category:Ukrainian documentary films
Category:Russian invasion of Ukraine documentary films
Category:Documentary films about Ukraine
Category:Sundance Film Festival award–winning films
Category:Russian-language Ukrainian films