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Ukrainian Film 'Porcelain War' Nominated For an Oscar in the Best Feature Documentary Category
The documentary ‘Porcelain War,’ directed by American filmmaker Brendan Bellomo and Kharkiv resident Slava Leontyev, who also appears as a central figure in the film, has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Feature Documentary category, as was announced on January 23.
The film is a co-production between the United States, Ukraine, and Australia and was produced by the US based company Picturehouse.
The documentary follows artists Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrii Stefanov, who remained in Kharkiv during the full-scale invasion to defend the city. Slava and Anya are ceramists, while Andrii is a painter. All three played significant roles in the creation of the film.
The narrative blends scenes of the artists' civilian lives with footage of the ongoing war, including the Saigon Special Operations Forces unit, which Leontyev oversees as an instructor. The film also incorporates animated sequences, using patterns from Slava and Anya’s ceramic works to create visually dynamic elements.
Initially, Bellomo planned to produce a short animated film centered on Leontyev and Stasenko's ceramic figures, which are well-known and popular in the US market. However, the project evolved into a full-length documentary.
The soundtrack for the film was composed by the Ukrainian band DakhaBrakha. In 2024, Porcelain War won the Grand Prix in the US Documentary section at the Sundance Film Festival.
Another Ukrainian documentary has been selected for the main competition of the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). Kateryna Gornostai’s documentary feature ‘Timestamp’ will compete for the prestigious Golden Bear, as confirmed by her team to UP Kultura.
