Ukraine’s “Divia” Documentary Brings Nature, the War’s Hidden Victim, to the UN Climate Summit

At the United Nations International Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, Ukrainian filmmaker Dmytro Hreshko will present his new documentary Divia, which explores the catastrophic impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine’s natural environment, Suspilne Culture reported on November 12.

Running from November 10 to 21, the conference is the world’s leading multilateral platform where nations jointly shape strategies to combat climate change.

The screening of Divia will take place as part of the official program at the Ukrainian Pavilion, with producers Polina Herman and Hlib Lukianets presenting the film in person. The international promotion is supported by the Ukrainian Institute and Eurimages.

According to Suspilne Culture, the film’s title, Divia, refers to the ancient Slavic goddess of nature—the mother of all living things. Director and co-cinematographer Dmytro Hreshko describes the documentary as “a story about loss and grief over something as vital as nature, now destroyed and occupied by Russians.” He said the concept was inspired by the idea that Russia’s imperial policy resembles “the behavior of cancer cells in the human body—consuming the organism’s resources until it is completely destroyed.”

Filming began in spring 2022, both near the frontlines and in Ukraine’s protected natural areas. The documentary features footage from liberated territories in Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv regions, as well as from Donetsk, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. It also documents the flooding of the Kherson region following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam by Russian forces, the rescue of animals, and the lasting environmental consequences of the disaster.

Divia also includes archival footage of Ukraine’s landscapes before the full-scale invasion, provided by the Ukraïner team, featuring scenes from Oleshky Sands National Park and Crimea.

Earlier, the Ukrainian documentary Militantropos , created by directors Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova, and Simon Mozgovyi of TABOR Production, was officially shortlisted for the European Film Award in the Best Documentary category.

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