‘Militantropos’ Acquired by Square Eyes Ahead of Premiere in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight (EXCLUSIVE)

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The sales agent, Square Eyes, has obtained global rights for the Ukrainian feature documentary titled “Militantropos,” which is helmed by directors Alina Gorlova (“This Rain Will Never Stop”), Yelizaveta Smith (“School Number 3”), and Simon Mozgovyi (“The Winter Garden’s Tale”). This acquisition comes prior to its world debut in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes film festival.

Wouter Jansen from Square Eyes stated that “Militantropos” is a profound and emotional reflection on cinema, showcasing the effects of war on ordinary lives.

The screenplay was penned by Smith, Gorlova, Mozgovyi, and Maksym Nakonechnyi, the same team that directed and co-wrote “Butterfly Vision,” which was chosen for the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes in 2022.

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Butterfly Vision, a film selected for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in 2022, is written by Smith, Gorlova, Mozgovyi, and Maksym Nakonechnyi, who also directed and co-wrote it.

The term ‘Militantropos’ combines the Latin word for soldier (‘milit’) and the Greek word for human (‘antropos’). It refers to the identity humans take on when they engage in warfare. According to a statement, this harsh reality continuously molds both individuals and society, leading the Militantropos to view war as the sole means of survival.

The movie “Militantropos” delves into the human aspect of war, focusing on individuals who are forced to flee, lose their homes, or remain to fight. By not centering around a single main character, the film showcases both personal and collective experiences, highlighting their interactions and the changes in their daily lives. The narrative encompasses how people react to violence, atrocities, and destruction, the transformations of their normal routines, their social interactions, and the spaces they inhabit.

The movie was created by Eugene Rachkovsky, who is associated with Ukrainian film group Tabor (known for “Butterfly Vision”), in collaboration with Ralph Wieser from Austria’s Mischief Films and Nabil Bellahsene of France’s Les Valseurs for its production.

Rachkovsky explained that their team began recording events on the initial day of the comprehensive invasion out of instinct. Having spent the previous eleven years collaborating together, and sharing the experience of war, it seemed organic for them to compile a shared record of this period and investigate war as a complex occurrence.

Wieser mentioned, “From our initial online chat, we found Tabor’s method fascinating. They are innovative cinematographers providing a unique viewpoint on the conflict in Ukraine.

Bellahsene expressed: “War isn’t merely a political matter between nations; it’s a profoundly personal ordeal for those involved. This is why the work of Tabor, a Ukrainian filmmaking collective, resonated so strongly with us. Their perspective, rooted in authentic lived experience and creative honesty, provides a compelling and vital account of this historical moment.

The film project titled ‘Militantropos’ received financial backing from various institutions including the Austrian Film Institute (Vienna Film Fund), ÖFI+, Creative Europa Media, the Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport, a special fund for Ukrainian artists, the Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine in collaboration with the CNC, SWR, and Arte.

The following organizations provided initial support for this project: Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program, Open Society Foundations, the European Solidarity Fund for Ukrainian Films, IDFA Bertha Fund, a partnership between the Ukrainian Film Academy’s Post-Production Grant Program and Netflix, the Ukrainian Institute and Eurimages, Visions Sud Est, Goeteborg Film Fund, IMW: Documenting Ukraine, and Deutsche Filmakademie (Filmboost Germany). These organizations collectively contributed to the financing of this film.

The project was developed and presented at Berlinale Talents, Visions du Réel and IDFA.

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2025-04-15 13:46