In spring 2022, a haunting video from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol captured the world’s attention. A young Ukrainian paramedic known as Ptashka (“Bird”) sang a folk song in near-total darkness amid relentless Russian shelling, her voice filling the cold basement where wounded soldiers lay.
“And here we walk in the battle of life—
Solid, durable, unbreakable, like granite,
For crying hasn’t given freedom to anyone yet,
But whoever is a fighter, he conquers the world,” the soldiers joined in, their voices harmonizing with Ptashka’s firm singing.
This powerful moment of defiance became a symbol of Ukraine’s resilience. Now, Ryan Smith’s documentary Soldiers of Song delves deeper into her story and those of other Ukrainian musicians who transformed their art into a weapon of resistance and hope against Russian aggression.
The documentary follows several prominent figures in Ukraine’s music scene, including Slava Vakarchuk of Okean Elzy, who performed atop bombed buildings to raise awareness and visited wounded children in hospitals, and Andriy Khlyvniuk of Boombox, who joined Ukrainian armed forces and raised funds for his unit through concerts.
Soldiers of Song, which premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and earned a nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the Warsaw International Film Festival, weaves together extraordinary narratives of musicians who asked themselves, “How can I serve my homeland in this war?”
Their answer was music – wielded not just for comfort but as a tool for military and humanitarian fundraising, soldier motivation, and cultural preservation in the face of Russian attempts to erase Ukrainian identity.
One of the film’s most chilling testimonies comes from Vasyl Kriachok, the Mariupol Philharmonic conductor. Walking his dogs on 16 March 2022, he witnessed the Russian bombing of the Drama Theater, where hundreds of civilians had sought refuge. The horror intensified as Russian soldiers prevented anyone from approaching to help survivors trapped in the rubble.
The documentary masterfully compiles footage – from intimate interviews to inspiring frontline performances and devastating scenes of Russian war crimes.
What sets it apart is its raw, unflinching portrayal of how beauty and pain coexist in wartime. Music follows Ukrainians everywhere: from motivational concerts for soldiers to mournful funerals, from cold basements in besieged cities to international stages that echo life before the war.
Smith, who previously won an Emmy for NFL 360: Who If Not Us, brings the same sensitive touch to capturing the human spirit in extreme circumstances. His previous film documented Ukrainian football players who, as Russia invaded their homeland, first helped their families reach safety before voluntarily enlisting to defend Ukraine.
Soldiers of Song highlights the Cultural Forces initiative, which brings music directly to soldiers at the front, where performances become a vital source of motivation and spiritual strength. As the initiative’s founder notes, “Beauty urges us to align ourselves to experience the triumph of soul over body.”
For anyone who believes in the transformative power of art during dark times, this film is an essential reminder of why culture itself is worth fighting for.
However, it also emphasizes the human cost of defending Ukraine’s cultural identity against Russian imperialism: from an opera singer hovering between life and death after being shot five times while evacuating civilians to a young musician-turned-soldier losing his life in the trenches, leaving his brother, also a soldier, to wonder, “Why him and not me?”
The film transcends mere documentation to pose crucial questions: How many musicians and artists has Russia killed, and how many more will it kill if not stopped? What happens if Ukrainians stop opposing this cultural genocide?
This isn’t just about preserving songs or territory – it’s about protecting the very soul of a nation, the Ukrainian culture.
Ukrainians fight for the freedom to create art in their own language, in their own way, and on their own terms. This is a powerful reminder that in the face of imperialism and destruction, cultural resistance becomes a form of survival, and the creation of beauty becomes an act of defiance.
Starting 15 November, viewers worldwide (except in Ukraine and Italy, where separate releases are planned) can watch Soldiers of Song through Eventive before its official release in February 2025.
25% of ticket sales will support vital humanitarian initiatives, including essential medical aid, life-support supplies, food, clothing, and safehouses to those fighting for survival and freedom in Ukraine.
On 16 November, the film will be released on Ukrainian digital platforms, including Sweet.tv, Megogo, Volia, and Kyivstar TV.
Related:
Meet the singers, filmmakers, and sports stars who joined the Ukrainian Army
“Hey Hey Rise Up”: Pink Floyd revived Ukrainian military anthem
Meet the bands touring to raise funds for Ukraine’s army (and save the dates)
