Porcelain War
Amid daily bombings, Ukrainian artists bring their porcelain figures to life.
Amidst the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists – Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov – defiantly find beauty and purpose in their art while defending their culture and country. As soldiers wage war against civilians, the artists stay behind, taking up their cameras, art, and even weapons for the first time. Despite daily shelling, Anya channels resistance into her art. On tiny porcelain figurines, which are brought to life through stunning animation, she and Slava depict their idyllic past, uncertain present, and hopes for the future. Andrey risks his life to save his family and films their journey, while Slava trains civilians to fight.
This breathtaking documentary is a story of resilience and healing in the face of war.
Brendan Bellomo (1984) is an American director, writer, editor and producer. His passion for storytelling was first sparked when he was a child. He was the recipient of a 2009 Student Academy Award in Directing for his short film “Bohemibot”. Beginning his career in visual effects, he supervised the 2012 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner and Oscar nominee for Best Picture “Beasts of the Southern Wild”. In 2019 he directed a sci-fi short film “Extra Ordinary”. Bellomo worked closely with Annie Leibovitz on the global exhibit “Women: New Portraits”.
Porceilan War (2024, doc)
Slava Leontyev is a first-time director born into a family of biologists in Ukraine. Combining his love of nature and art, Leontyev has spent his life studying painting, photography, graphic design and art theory. Alongside his wife and longtime collaborator Anya Stasenko, Leontyev created the porcelain sculptures featured in the film “Porcelain War”, his co-director debut. He is also a former soldier of the Ukrainian Special Forces and a highly regarded weapons instructor for civilians who are currently defending their country against Russian aggression.
Porceilan War (2024, doc)