The war between Ukraine and Russia has been going on for the better part of 10 years. From the attack on Crimea in 2014 to the invasion of Donbas in 2022, the Ukrainian people have been fighting for their independence and struggling to maintain a sense of hope. Through all their struggles, they have found ways to keep their spirits alive and continue pushing back against tyrannical forces: national pride and music.

You can see inspiring stories of Ukrainian patriotism and artistry in “Soldiers of Song.” Directed by Ryan Smith, the documentary follows a collection of Ukrainian musicians talking about what they’ve seen since the war began and how they’ve used music to inspire their countrymen.

This is one of many eye-opening films showing at this year’s Hamptons Doc Fest running Thursday, December 5, through Wednesday, December 11. The festival will showcase 32 documentaries screening at Sag Harbor Cinema and Bay Street Theater covering a variety of subjects. After appearing everywhere from the Tribeca Film Festival to Charles University in Prague, “Soldiers of Song” will arrive at Bay Street Theater for a screening on Friday, December 6, at 2:30 p.m.

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.

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.

EXCLUSIVE: Hamptons Doc Fest announced the full slate of films today for the upcoming 17th edition of the event in Sag Habor, New York, and revealed a group of honorees that includes documentary titan Michael Moore.

Soldiers of Song
FRI, 12/6, 2:30pm, 90 min  BAY STREET THEATER

Director Ryan Smith in attendance for Q&A

Set during the genocidal Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the film delves into the extraordinary journey of Ukraine’s musicians as they strive to unite their nation through the transformative power of music. Some of the country’s most beloved musicians – Slava Vakarchuk, Andriy Khlyvnyuk, and Svitlana Tarabarova – open their hearts and share their experiences of life under the shadow of Russian aggression. The production team persevered through air raid sirens, power outages, and the echoes of missiles to craft a narrative that captures the resilience, culture, and spirit of the Ukrainian people.

"Soldiers of Song” will make its world premiere on Thursday, June 13 at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. Directed and produced by Ryan Smith, in collaboration with a courageous Ukrainian production crew and Executive Produced by the Gov. George Pataki Leadership Center, the film explores the profound impact of music on Ukrainian culture during a time of war.

Featuring Ukraine's most beloved musicians, including Slava Vakarchuk (Okean Elzy), Andriy Khlyvnyuk (Boombox), and Svitlana Tarabarova, “Soldiers of Song” reveals the experiences of life under the shadow of Russian aggression and weaves together narratives of resilience, hope, and healing, as musicians bravely navigate through harrowing challenges to inspire unity and courage. Through intimate interviews and personal narratives, each contributor adds a unique chapter to the story.

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, the band DakhaBrakha, Andrii Khlyvniuk, the Mariupol Philharmonic and even Kateryna Polishchuk ("Bird") - this is the line-up for the documentary film "Armed with Song" assembled by American journalist and director Ryan Smith. These are stories about the beginning of a full-scale invasion, the atrocities of the Russians in Mariupol and other cities, and, ultimately, musicians during the war, helping Ukraine at the front or in the rear.

The film debuted at New York's Tribeca Film Festival, which was founded by actor Robert De Niro. The film will be released in Ukrainian cinemas on September 12. Before the premiere, "Village" learned from Ryan Smith why he decided to shoot a film about musicians in a country thousands of kilometers away from him, even in a state of war.

"Armed with a song" is a documentary by the American director Ryan Smith about the resistance of Ukrainian musicians during a full-scale invasion. The main characters of the film were Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, Andrii Khlyvniuk, Svitlana Tarabarova, Dakha Brakha, Ptashka and the musicians of the Mariupol Chamber Philharmonic. Previously, the director worked with sports documentaries and received an Emmy for the film "NFL 360: Who, if not us" about players of the Ukrainian American Football League who joined the Armed Forces at the start of a full-scale war. Armed with Song premiered at the Tribeca International Film Festival in New York this year. In an interview with ProShoKino, read about why foreign directors make films about Ukraine and how the demand for Ukrainian culture in the world has changed after February 24, 2022.

The Department of War Studies at King's College London hosted the UK premiere of 'Soldiers of Song', a documentary following Ukrainian musicians in the wake of the Russian invasion.

The film, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York earlier this year, captures the personal stories of musicians who share firsthand accounts of the invasion. Featuring artists from genres ranging from metal to opera, it documents how their lives have been transformed by the war and how they now use their musical talents to support their communities during the ongoing conflict, including touring the frontlines to perform for Ukrainian soldiers. 

Dr Domitilla Sagramoso, Senior Lecturer in Security and Development at King's, emphasised the educational significance of the film during her opening remarks ahead of the screening. "As educators, it’s crucial that we provide students with opportunities to hear from those living through conflict," she said. "This film powerfully illustrates the resilience of Ukrainian musicians and underscores the profound impact of war on culture."