It requires an astonishing amount of arrogance and privilege to even temporarily consider using a phrase such as “Ukraine war documentary fatigue.” Russia’s unprovated invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the bloodiest war against European earth since the Second World War and represents the greatest threat to the international order after the Cold War we have seen so far. It may well be regarded as the emergence of an age of autocrats who fight against each other to expand their territories, with potentially catastrophic results that penetrate in the near future. Not to mention the tens of thousands of Ukrainians who have already died in the war, and countless more who have had their homes destroyed and their lives permanently changed. The fact that brave documentaries have been able to capture so much of it is a remarkable performance for humanity. When one’s biggest complaints are that they make prestigious film Festivals feel repetitive, it is a subtle sign to consider a shift in priorities.
But the fact remains that we have already seen a lot of excellent documentaries about the war in Ukraine over the past three years. Movies like “20 Deaths’s Ria Lebalel”. and “2000 meters to Andriivka” Took the viewers on the front lines of the war. “Porcelain War” and “Rule of Two Walls” Brilliant light on the Ukrainian artists who refuse to let the war compromise with the creative expression that makes them human. “Viktor” and “Intercepted” Made unforgettable film by bringing unique perspectives and forms in the fold. We have reached the point where a new documentary about the war is almost instinctively encountering the chynical question of “what new strategy do you take to the table?”
That thinking is an understandable consequence of studying a medium as a film, which is wide enough to include both documentaries that change the course of history and “Hot Tub Time Machine 2.” When a documentary about the War in Ukraine touches on similar beats as its predecessors – such as Kateryna Gornostai’s powerful new film ”Stamp“Do it – it can be temporarily tempting to accuse it for falling under the originality we expect from new editions. Like “porcelain war” and “rule with two walls”, “timestamp” is an Ode to the Ukrainians who continue their peaceful professions in war times as a way to avoid letting Russia steal the country’s humanity. But even though these themes are beginning to feel familiar to global festival guests who have seen other documentaries emphasizing the same case, each of these films should be celebrated as an addition to the historic canon of video films from a war that will be studied forever.
“Timestamp” shows a year in life to various Ukrainian students and teachers who continue to go and work in schools across the country. From teaching elementary schools to singing patriotic songs about a war that is too young to fully understand to describe mathematical equations on black paintings in schools that are a little more than waste, these teachers make their best to ensure that their students may experience as as much childhood as possible. The film exists as a reminder that children in any part of the world are still only children, and to live through historical events does not prevent them from going through the stages from developing a personality. They will be formed into adults by their surroundings, and the people who try to keep these surroundings as innocent as possible deserve to be recognized as the heroes they are.
Gornostai uses a light director, avoids interviews and simply lets the scenes in educational life develop in front of her audience’s eyes. It is a powerful approach that allows the images from different schools to form a Fresco painting about childhood in a war-driven nation. The most striking theme that shows up is the difference between the children, which often spends their recess time with the same euphoric joy that you find at any playground in America, and the teachers whose faces reveal the insurmountable burdens of living through a war.
Could a movie like “Timestamp” have been more coherent and effective by cutting some characters, going deeper with others and shortening their Runtime? Perhaps. But such narrative concerns feel irrelevant when discussing a movie that the arc of history will be very kind. Instead of comparing it to Lithany from other documentaries about the Ukrainian war, we should care for Gornostai to provide the vital service to catch these moments that could never be recreated if we tried.
Rating: B.
“Timestamp” premiered at 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. It is currently seeking US distribution.
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