VARTA — The New Ukrainian Epic.

It is a series of documentary novellas created by Ukrainian photographer, film director, and producer Maryana Shafro, together with director, cinematographer, and producer Yevhen Matviienko. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the team has been documenting Ukrainian soldiers to preserve their faces, stories, and lived experiences as part of Ukraine’s contemporary history. These films stand as testimony to war, to the strength of the human spirit, and to a memory that must speak both today and to future generations.

More than a war chronicle, VARTA is a living epic of a nation in resistance. It tells the story of modern Ukraine through the faces and voices of those risking everything for freedom.

Novellas of the VARTA Project

CHERUBS

A film about the 11th Separate Army Aviation Brigade “Kherson” — about the pilots who stood guard over Kyiv, fought fierce battles in Irpin and in the south of Ukraine. They carried out missions at Azovstal and took part in the liberation of Snake Island. A brigade that bravely defends Ukraine from the russian invasion.

STORM TAMERS

A novella about the soldiers of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade, who fight intense tank battles using equipment from the Soviet era. They carry out combat missions and actively support infantry in reclaiming Ukrainian land in the east. Former farmers, tractor drivers, and rappers — now tank battalion fighters sharing their stories and telling the war through a tank’s sight.

HANDS OF GOD

The story of Su-25 attack pilots who have carried out more than 3500 combat sorties since the full-scale invasion began. They fly at critically low altitudes — sometimes just 10 meters above the ground — at speeds over 900 km/h.

SHE

“She” tells the stories of women serving in various military roles: medics, snipers, and assault soldiers. Through their personal accounts, the film reveals the realities of war — their emotions, experiences, and the inner strength that drives them. Filmed during the full-scale invasion, this documentary conveys the resilience, pain, and unbreakable spirit of the women defending Ukraine’s independence.
The novella “She” is dedicated to the memory of one of its heroines — Valentyna “Valkyria,” who gave her life for Ukraine and did not live to see this film.

Format

7 episodes × ~20 minutes
Language: Ukrainian with English subtitles
In production | 4 episodes completed

Press Contacts

YEVHEN MATVIENKO

Director / Cinematographer
Co-founder of the VARTA documentary project.
Director and cinematographer documenting the war in Ukraine through personal stories of soldiers and heroes.

Contact:
evgeniy@neutrinofilm.com

 

MARIANA SHAFRO

Producer
Co-founder of the VARTA documentary project.
Ukrainian photographer and producer.
Responsible for production, partnerships, and international outreach.

Contact:
marianashafro@gmail.com

VARTA
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