Today at 01:03
The Ukrainian international broadcasting documentary Science Warriors has won the Best Directing Award at the National Cinema for Victory Documentary Film Festival. The film was shot in Antarctica at the Akademik Vernadsky polar station, near the front lines in Ukraine, and aboard the Ukrainian research vessel Noosphere.
The documentary tells the story of Ukrainian polar scientists who, despite the war, continue their research in Antarctica while also defending their country on the battlefield.
“This victory at the festival is the result of collective efforts and unbreakable faith in our cause. I thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine for allowing us to live and win. Special thanks to our cameramen — from Antarctica to the trenches — who proved that nothing is impossible for them. I am grateful to the National Antarctic Scientific Center for their trust, and to the Noosphere crew — you endured my endless filming, and it was worth it. We’re just beginning — the world will see the stories of our scientists. We are charting a course toward a better future for the country I call home. For me, for three years now, Everything is Ukraine!” said Hennadii Kurkin (Henry Keen), the film’s creator and Ukrainian international broadcaster journalist, while accepting the award.
The prize was presented by French director and producer Philippe Azoulay, a jury member at the festival.
Science Warriors was produced by Ukraine’s Multimedia Platform for International Broadcasting in cooperation with the National Antarctic Scientific Center (NANC). Ukrainian scientists emphasize that their Antarctic program must continue, as Antarctica connects Ukraine to global science and no threat can halt this progress.
“This film uniquely depicts the two completely opposite worlds in which Ukraine’s Antarctic program has existed over the past three years. One is Antarctica — the world of global science, development, international cooperation, and unique beauty. The other is the full-scale war, where our polar explorers have taken up arms to defend Ukraine, allowing their colleagues to continue the Antarctic mission. Nearly thirty expedition members swapped their peaceful professions for weapons. We are proud that Hennadii Kurkin and his team captured this story so vividly and sincerely. We’re thrilled that the film won an award at its very first festival, and we hope many more people in Ukraine and worldwide will soon see it,” said Yevhen Dykyi, director of the National Antarctic Scientific Center.
The Ukrainian crew traveled to the Akademik Vernadsky station with the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition from Punta Arenas, Chile, in spring 2024. Hennadii Kurkin became the first Ukrainian journalist to reach Antarctica aboard the Ukrainian research vessel Noosphere. While filming, the crew also participated in daily station operations.
“We gathered a wealth of material — interviews with scientists and soldiers, the daily lives of polar explorers, breathtaking Antarctic landscapes, and the ocean journey. It was important for me to craft a balanced narrative where each scene and word reflected the spirit of our people and highlighted Ukraine as a modern nation with vast scientific and human potential, vital to global civilization. Judging by the festival jury’s high praise and, most importantly, the feedback from the heroes themselves — our ‘combat penguins’ — we succeeded,” emphasized Science Warriors director Kyrylo Bin.
The film, titled Science Warriors, was produced in both Ukrainian and English for international broadcast and is set to be adapted into Spanish, Russian, and Arabic for wider distribution through Ukraine’s international media platforms.
Film credits:
- Concept and journalist: Hennadii Kurkin
- Director: Kyrylo Bin
- Cinematographers: Ruslan Belozerov, Yevhen Savitskyi, Oleksandr Khan
- Post-production and editor: Mikael Torgomyan
As previously reported, another Ukrainian international broadcaster’s documentary Homo amans (Latin: Loving Human), directed by Sasha Lidagovsky and focusing on people rescuing animals during the war, won the Grand Prix at the Cinema for Victory festival.
Background:
The National Cinema for Victory Documentary Film Festival 2025 is the second annual festival dedicated to wartime documentaries shot during Russia’s war against Ukraine. It is held under the patronage of the President of Ukraine and was launched by the Ukrainian State Film Agency, NGO UKRKINOFEST, the Molodist International Film Festival, and Odesa Film Studio. The main international jury included acclaimed figures such as French director-producer Philippe Azoulay, Afghan filmmaker Sahraa Karimi, French actress-director Arielle Dombasle, and was chaired by renowned French documentarian Bernard-Henri Lévy.
