Our documentary about military medics will be screened in 10 European capitals (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members, 

The Kyiv Independent is going on a tour of 10 European capitals for the release of our upcoming documentary about the mental health of Ukrainian military medics — and we’d like to invite you to a screening. 

“Can You Hear Me? The Invisible Battles of Ukrainian Military Medics” will premiere in Kyiv (and on YouTube) this Thursday, followed by screenings in Warsaw, Berlin, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. 

On Wednesday, we will also have an exclusive online screening for our members, followed by a Q&A with the film’s authors, journalists Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko. You can register and submit your questions here, in case you can’t attend one of the screenings in person.

The screenings across Europe are organized in partnership with the Repower charitable organization, an NGO that provides mental health retreats for Ukrainian medics. 

The film will be screened in Ukrainian with English subtitles. Warning: The film contains graphic scenes. They are intended to reflect the harsh realities of war, but they may be distressing to some viewers.

You can register to attend for free following the links below:

Kyiv. Zhovten Cinema, Dec. 12, 18:00

Warsaw. Kino Wisła, Dec. 13, 18:00

Berlin. City Kino Wedding, Dec. 14, 19:30

Copenhagen. Nordisk Film Biografer Palads. Dec. 15, 16:00

Oslo. Vika Movie Theater, Dec. 16, 17:30

Stockholm. Maxim Stockholm, Dec. 17, 17:00

Helsinki. Annankatu 26, second floor. Dec. 18, 17:30

Tallinn. Kinosoprus. Dec. 19, 19:45

Riga. Cinema Splendid Palace. Dec. 20, 18:00

Vilnius. Pasaka Cinema. Dec. 21, 18:00

The film took more than nine months to produce, involving multiple trips to the front line in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as well as a 10-day trip to Sweden. In the documentary, Francis and Olena followed a group of military medics as they journey from the heat of battle in war-torn Ukraine to the forests of Sweden for a short mental health retreat.

Witnessing an endless conveyor belt of severe injuries and deaths since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 has taken a heavy toll on the medics’ mental health. Although crucial to address, the issue of their psychological well-being is rarely talked about and often overlooked, leaving them alone in this invisible battle.

As they find themselves in a peaceful, quiet environment in Sweden for the first time since 2022, the medics have a chance to process the accumulated trauma, opening up about losing brothers-in-arms, surviving Russian captivity, and the inescapable feeling of guilt for not being able to save some of the soldiers they treated.

Watch the trailer here.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at community@kyivindependent.com. Thank you for your continued support — we wouldn’t be here without you.