Ukraine, Germany | 2023 | Documentary | 84’ | Original Version with English Subtitles
On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by Russian forces while flying over eastern Ukraine. The plane crash claimed the lives of all 298 passengers aboard the ill-fated flight. Immediately following the incident, the Russian government and media questioned the stark reality of this attack. As the investigation progressed and a wealth of evidence began to accumulate, including tangible proof such as the butterfly-shaped shrapnel discovered in the pilots' bodies, the denial of facts grew increasingly audacious and implausible.
Within a world where the perpetuation of violence relies on a foundation of falsehoods, and these falsehoods can only be sustained through a cycle of violence, "Iron Butterflies" emerges to shed light on the truth surrounding the MH17 crash. Director Roman Liubyi skillfully utilizes an array of visual materials and personal testimonies to construct a compelling narrative deeply rooted in evidence. This documentary serves as an artful and meticulous exploration of a pivotal moment in recent world history. The mass atrocity not only shattered countless lives and the potential futures they held, but also planted the seeds that have since grown into the reality we presently inhabit.