Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine has forced the country’s artists into the role of soldiers, as Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey choose to stay behind and fight, grappling with the soldiers they have become. 

In defiance of the destruction around them, Slava and Anya split their time between creating ceramic sculptures and training civilian fighters, while cameraman Andrey, unable to pick up a paintbrush, captures the devastation unfolding before him. Despite the horrors of defending their homeland, these artists are determined to find beauty in the chaos. They sculpt delicate creatures—porcelain owls, snails, and intricate designs—placing them on the battlefield as a quiet symbol of resistance. Anya’s and Slava’s porcelain pieces come to life in delicate animations, offering both context to their creators’ story and a poignant outlet for processing grief. They even transform drones into vibrant dragonflies before sending them on bombing missions.

Porcelain War, the winner of the US Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, presents a visually stunning account of both the brutal physical invasion and the soul’s struggle to rise above it. Amid the trauma, Slava reflects, “Ukraine is like porcelain—fragile, yet impossible to destroy.”