[Filmin] Almost premonitory of the current situation, this chronicle in thirteen episodes of the Donbass war builds a brutal and sordid portrait, which throughout the film becomes more ruthless. There are many details that explain the current situation, such as corruption, abuse of power, nationalism or revenge, through a more psychological violence, which slowly becomes more physical.

Angry, trenchant, and viciously satirical

Focusing on the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Ukranian loyalists and Russian-backed separatists, writer/director Sergei Loznitsa (My Joy, The Event]; A Gentle Creature), adopts a savagely satirical and unapologetically ironic tone in Donbass as he examines the corrosive effects hateful propaganda can engender at all levels of society. Depicting an absurdist horror show that would be darkly hilarious if it wasn't so tragic, the film presents the Donbass as a pseudo-Orwellian dystopia of endemic corruption, state-sanctioned discrimination, sycophantic bureaucracy, and unashamed media manipulation. There are no heroes here; everyone is tainted, from the generals and politicians calling the shots to the soldiers on the ground to the civilians caught up in the mayhem. The lack of a standard plot and the absence of a protagonist won't be to everyone's liking, whilst the complete dearth of any geo-political contextualisation will alienate others. It's also inevitable in that in a film built on individualised vignettes, some work considerably better than others. Nevertheless, this is sobering stuff, and as timely as it is despairing.

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