The Donbass children
This is a movie about the Donbas war, first-person stories. You will hear the stories of so-called "ordinary people". These people suffered from irrational from a military point of view strikes on civilian targets. They are victims of someone's desire to wage war on their territory at all costs.
There are no author's comments in this movie and no censoring of the thoughts of the local people. This film was made especially for spectators in Europe, who do not know what is happening in Eastern Ukraine.
The purpose of the film is to arouse interest in the ongoing six-year armed conflict and to make people to start to think about the responsibility of each of us for peace in Europe.
Update from March 2022: The above was written in September 2019. Now the war is being waged throughout Ukraine and the fate of the people of Donbass is shared by many people in the country. But while the "democratic world" was aggressively indifferent to the lives of the people of Donbass, a wave of empathy has now broken out. Not bad, on the contrary, but there remains a bad taste of double standards. This large-scale war had to be stopped in its infancy, but apparently the interest in its expansion was too strong. We, the people who fought for peace during those eight years, have failed because our voices have been muffled. But we did what we could.
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Lubomir DankovDirector
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Zina NachevaFilm editor
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Tanya KrylovaCinematographer
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Lubomir DankovCinematographer
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Nenko MilevSound editor
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Igor IvanovArchival footage
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Vladialav BerdychevskyiArchival footage
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Ivan KopylOrganizational assistance
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Project Title (Original Language):Дети Донбасса
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Project Type:Documentary, Television
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Runtime:60 minutes
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Completion Date:September 30, 2019
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Production Budget:2,800 EUR
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Country of Origin:Bulgaria
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Country of Filming:Ukraine
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Language:Russian
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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American Golden Picture International Film FestivalJacksonville
United States
Best screenplay /monthly competition/ -
The American Film AwardNew York
United States
Documentary Award -
2nd Amazing Shorts and Movies! Film FestivalMadrid
Spain
World premiere
Best screenplay -
Los Angeles Motion Picture FestivalLos Angeles
United States
Documentary - Best Film -
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Film FestivalPune
India
Award for cinematography -
United States Film FestivalSoutheastern
United States
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY -
Crown Wood International Film FestivalKolkata
India
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM /monthly competition/ -
Couch Film FestivalToronto
Canada
Best Cast -
Zero Degree Film ContestMohali, Punjab
India
Best Documentary Feature -
Beyond Earth Film FestivalChennai
India
Jury's Special Mention -
Independent Shorts AwardsLos Angeles
United States
Bronze Award - Documentary Short /monthly competition/ -
Best Shorts CompetitionLa Jolla
United States
Award of Merit - Documentary short -
The Impact DOCS AwardsLa Jolla
United States
Award of Merit: Documentary Feature -
Hollywood Hills Film AwardsLos Angeles
United States
Best Documentary - 2nd place -
Italian Film DaysNicosia
Cyprus
Best Documentary /monthly competition/ -
Diamond Film Awards
Italy
Best Documentary /monthly competition/ -
DOCfeedEindhoven
Netherlands
February 15, 2020
Netherlands premiere
Screening -
Hollywood Film CompetitionLos Angeles
United States
Best Documentary - Gold Award -
Mindfield Film Festival - AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque
United States
Best Documentary Feature: Diamond Award - bi-monthly season competition -
Assurdo Film festivalMilano
Italy
BEST DOCUMENTARY - monthly award -
Open Window International Film ChallengeKolkata
India
Best Documentary -
Glorious Movie AwardsSalerno
Italy
Best documentary /monthly competition/ -
Starshine Film Festival
Italy
Best documentary /monthly competition/ -
Idyllwild International Festival of CinemaIdyllwild
United States
March 13, 2020
USA premiere
Indie Spirit Award -
Eurovision Palermo Film FestivalPalermo
Italy
April 9, 2020
Online premiere
Best War Documentary -
LA Shorts AwardsLos Angeles
United States
Best Documentary - Gold Award -
Vegas Movie AwardsLas Vegas
United States
Best documentary feature /monthly competition/ -
After Hour Film Festival
United States
Jury's Choice -
Apulia Web FestBari
Italy
Special Award for Peace -
Accolade Global Film CompetitionLA Jolla
United States
Award of Merit - documentary feature, direction -
Horror Bowl Movie AwardsChandigarh
India
Best Documentary -
Kyiv Film FestivalKiev
Ukraine
Best Bulgarian Feature -
Manhattanhenge Film FestivalNew York
United States
Best Documentary -
Austria International Film FestivalVienna
Austria
Best War film -
52 Weeks Film FestivalThousand Oaks
United States
Best International Documentary -
Accord Cine FestAdyar
India
Best Documentary Feature - Jury Choice /monthly competition/- -
Docs Without Borders Film FestivalLewes, DE
United States
Exceptional Merit -
Global Monthly Online Film Competition
Best Documentary Feature, Best Editing Feature, Best Cinematography Feature /monthly competition/ -
Point Of View Indie Film Awards
Best Documentary Feature -
Awesome Film FestivalBurbank
United States
Best Documentary -
Wallachia Int'l Film FestivalBucharest
Romania
Best Screenplay - Featurette films lineup -
Mindfield Film Festival - Los AngelesLos Angeles
United States
Best Documentary - Bronze Award -
Goddess On The Throne Film FestivalPrishtina
Kosovo
Documentary Film Festival Special Award -
Cinema New York CityNew York
United States
Best Director -
London Classic Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
November 10, 2020
Best Documentary Feature -
French Independent Film FestivalCannes
France
November 10, 2020
Best Documentary Film -
San Francisco International New Concept Film FestivalSan Francisko
United States
Excellent Documentary -
Motion Picture Film Award
Best Feature Film - Jury Award, Best Cinematographer -
Best Director AwardLondon
United Kingdom
Best Director Feature Documentary -
German United Film Festival
Germany
Best Producer -
Sydney International Film FestivalSydney
Australia
Best Documentary Feature -
World Film FairSanta Monica
United States
Best Documentary -
Miami National Film FestivalMiami
United States
Best Documentary Feature -
International Film Festival of Andaman and NicobarAndaman and Nicobar
India
Best Documentary Feature Film -
Gold Star Movie AwardsNewark, New Jersey
United States
Best Documentary Feature /monthly competition/ -
Spotlight Documentary Film AwardsAtlanta
United States
Spotlight Silver Award -
Continental Film Awards
Best European Documentary Feature -
Best Indie Film AwardLondon
United Kingdom
Best Indie Feature Documentary - monthly competition -
Best Documentary AwardLondon
United Kingdom
Best War Documentary Feature - monthly competition -
Around International Film FestivalAmsterdam
Netherlands
Honorable mention -
Golden Earth Film Award
Best documentary - monthly competition -
Sweden Film AwardsStockholm
Sweden
Best Documentary Feature - monthly competition -
Only The Best Film AwardsMiami
United States
Best Feature Documentary -
Tokyo International Short Film FestivalTokyo
Japan
Honorable mention -
Votkinsk International Film FestivalMaykop
Russian Federation
Special prize of the jury -
Nadym International Film FestivalMaykop
Russian Federation
Best Documentary Film -
International Motion Picture Festival of IndiaPondicherry
India
Best Documentary Feature - monthly competition -
Indo French international film festivalPondicherry
India
Best Documentary Feature - monthly competition -
Hodu International film festivalPondicherry
India
Best Documentary Feature - monthly competition -
New York Tri-State International Film FestivalNew York
United States
Best Documentary Feature -
HALO International Film FestivalSaint-Petersburg
Russian Federation
Honorable Mention -
New Wave Short Film FestivalMunich
Germany
Honorable Mention -
GLIFF - Golden LemurLisbon
Portugal
Honorable mention -
Mount Fuji International Film FestivalSendai
Japan
Best Bulgarian Documentary Film -
The Best Film FestivalBarcelona
Spain
Best Television Feature -
Eastern Europe Film Festival
Romania
Best Documentary -
Indie Doc ProBarcelona
Spain
Best Television Documentary -
MGA - Moscow Gold AwardsMoscow
Russian Federation
Best Documentary -
Grass Root international film festivalPuducherry
India
Best Documentary Feature Film -
Down East Flick FestGreenville
United States
November 20, 2021
Documentary Feature Award -
Quetzalcoatl Indigenous International Film FestivalOaxaca
Mexico
Human Rights Award -
Masters of CinemaMoscow
Russian Federation
Best War Film -
Fox International Film FestivalSankt Petersburg
Russian Federation
Honorable Mention - Feature Documentary -
Shiny Sparkle Independent Online Film FestivalOnline Festival
Slovakia
Honorable mention -
8 & HalFilm AwardsRome
Italy
Best European Director - Feature Documentary -
Madrid International Short Film FestivalMadrid
Spain
Best Documentary Feature -
Festival internacional Signos da NoiteLisbon
Portugal
Edward Snowden Award -
Arrow International Film FestivalSaint-Petersburg
Russian Federation
Best War Film -
Star Film Fest BarcelonaBarcelona
Spain
Best Feature Documentary -
Little buddha indie film festivalKathmandu
Nepal
Special Jury Award -
Golden Harvest Film FestivalTokyo
Japan
Best Feature Film / Best Documentary -
Vip Fest Film FestivalBarcelona
Spain
Best Feature Documentary -
Hollywood Blvd. FilmInternational Online Festival
Best Feature Documentary -
Golden Giraffe International Film FestivalNice
France
Best War Film -
New York Independent Cinema AwardsNew York
United States
Best International Documentary Feature -
Tulum World Environment Film FestivalTulum
Mexico
"Human Stories" Feature Film Jury's Award -
Top Film AwardsInternational Awards event
Best Feature Documentary -
Docuworld Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
Best International Feature Documentary -
Lights Camera Action Film FestivalKodaikanal
India
Best Documentary Feature film -
Cuckoo International Film AwardsThiruvannamalai
India
Best Documentary Feature Film -
Amsterdam Freedom Independent IFFAmsterdam
Netherlands
Best short documentary -
Venus Community AwardsIstanbul
Turkey
The best of the year -
TopShot International Film FestivalWarszawa (Warsaw)
Poland
Best Feature Film -
Golden Wheat AwardsIstanbul
Turkey
Best Documentary -
The Gladiator Film FestivalIstanbul
Turkey
Best Documentary -
Japan International Film FestivalTokyo
Japan
Feature Documentary Award -
International Gold AwardsNew York
United States
Best Feature Documentary -
Brussels International Film FestivalBrussels
Belgium
Best Feature Documentary -
Andromeda Film FestivalIstanbul
Turkey
Best Documentary -
Zagreb International Film FestivalZagreb
Croatia
Honorable Mention -
Butterfly International Film FestivalMarseille
France
Best Feature Documentary -
Barcelona Indie Awards // BIAIFBarcelona
Spain
Best Feature Documentary -
Tabriz Cinema AwardsTabriz
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Best Documentary -
Vietnam International Film AwardsHanoi
Viet Nam
Runner-up - documentary feature -
Indo Japan Independent Film FestivalOsaka
Japan
Best Documentary Feature Film -
Sun Film FestGirona
Spain
Best Documentary -
Liber Films International FestivalAthina
Greece
Honorable mention -
Karlovy Vary Indie Film & Art FestivalKarlovy Vary
Czech Republic
Documentary award -
Close Film FestivalTabriz
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Best Documentary -
Canary International Film FestivalKuthalam
India
Best Feature Documentary -
Star International Film FestivalFirenze
Italy
Best Feature Documentary
The director is a Bulgarian amateur photographer. He has been developing an information project on the Donbass war since 2016. The Donbass children is his first film.
When I first went to Donbass as an amateur journalist, I felt myself ashamed. Shame on the "fellow" journalists, who deliberately avoid the topic of Donbass, shame on the whole "democratic community" that has buried its head in the sand.
It is hard to believe that deliberate war crimes have been committed daily in the geographical centre of Europe six years already, but it’s a fact.
The worst thing is that all this can be quickly and easily stopped, but maintaining an armed conflict in the area is, for some people, a win-win business.
Darkness gives power to evil. Keep yourself informed. It is up to you much more than you think.