Ukraine | 2022 | Documentary | 66’ | Original Version with English Subtitles

By the time the Russian army retreated from Bucha, Borodyanka, and Irpin, houses were destroyed, civilians executed, and lives ruined. From the moment when they emerge from their shelters over the course of many weeks, the film follows various residents as they pick themselves up from the smoldering ruins. The dead are identified, debris is cleared, and prosecutors start talking about a war tribunal. But as the first blossoms of spring start appearing, these Ukrainians also reveal their resilience. The human spirit overcomes war and death.

In April 2022 Bucha and all the Kyiv region, occupied by the russian army, was liberated.
And immediately the world was terrified by the news that russia committed the war crimes in Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, Makariv, Borodyanka and many more…
«Google Bucha» — we said to the world these days one year ago. More than 300 civil victims killed by russian army, exhumations, funerals and dead bodies lying on the street in Bucha.
If you ever have been to Kyiv, you should know that before the full-scale invasion Bucha was a pretty small town with parks and new buildings in Kyiv suburbs. In April 2022 Bucha became the synonym of murder and cruelty that has no explanation.
Soon after the liberation Ukrainian (and Berlin based) director Mila Teshaieva and German director and DOP Marcus Lenz went to Bucha to make a documentary about people who survived there, witnessed russian war crimes, volunteered and protected civilians as Ukrainian soldiers.
They made a documentary «When spring came to Bucha» which premiered at IDFA — the most prestigious festival of documentary films in the world — in November 2022.

The screening will be followed by Q&A with the directors Mila Teshaieva and Marcus Lenz.