I am a Ukrainian citizen.The film reveals true facts about Ukrainian history and Maidan.
But there are things missing here like interviews with Georgian snipers hired to shoot peaceful protesters in Kiev and details on bombing of civilians in Donetsk and Lugansk. Horrible events.
Ukraine on Fire
2016
Documentary
Ukraine on Fire
2016
Documentary
Keywords: naziciarussiasecret servicecoup d'etat
Plot summary
Ukraine. Across its eastern border is Russia and to its west-Europe. For centuries, it has been at the center of a tug-of-war between powers seeking to control its rich lands and access to the Black Sea. 2014's Maidan Massacre triggered a bloody uprising that ousted president Viktor Yanukovych and painted Russia as the perpetrator by Western media. But was it? "Ukraine on Fire" by Igor Lopatonok provides a historical perspective for the deep divisions in the region which lead to the 2004 Orange Revolution, 2014 uprisings, and the violent overthrow of democratically elected Yanukovych. Covered by Western media as a people's revolution, it was in fact a coup d'état scripted and staged by nationalist groups and the U.S. State Department. Investigative journalist Robert Parry reveals how U.S.-funded political NGOs and media companies have emerged since the 80s replacing the CIA in promoting America's geopolitical agenda abroad.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
The film reveals truth
very informative... about Russia
Oliver Stone is front and center in the advertising. He interviews Putin, former Ukrainian leader Yanukovych, and other political figures. He does the thing that most slanted interviewers do. First, he claims to be a regular guy who don't know much and then quickly lays out one side's facts with accompanying soft ball questions. He's using all his filmmaking skills but the seams are all showing. It doesn't help that his interview subjects are all so The Man. They may as well come from the school of Bond villains.
The director is Ukraine separatist Igor Lopatonok. It's a movie justifying Russian paranoia. It spends most of the first part on WWII and every move involving Ukrainian Nationalism. The most notable aspect is that it skips or diminishes every one of Stalin and the other Soviet leaders' atrocities. While this does have some information on Ukrainian Nazism, this is more informative on the Russian psyche and their trauma stemming from WWII. It's all about their fears. The paranoia about Nazism in Ukraine is overwhelming. In a way, this Russian propaganda is more enlightening about the Russians themselves than anybody else. There are the recent political events. It's funny that they keep denouncing people trying to go viral. The Kardashians should be worried and BLM as well. The Russians may come for them next. This is a bunch of old white guys pontificating on modern protest movements. When the protest turns violent, they claim to be in charge and yet not in charge. They are completely helpless but they control all the powers of the government. One thing is certain. This has a lot of commonality with Stones' JFK. He's not a journalist. Both this film and JFK are narrative constructions. Stone is overdoing it. When more plausible conspiracy theories start ramping up, he's already lost everybody but the choir. One can see the narrative that Putin and Russians have spun for themselves with Stone's help.
Better than that other documentary
I think Oliver Stone has been a bit of an enigma his whole career. He actually doesn't have that much to do with the production of this movie, in fact the interviews he did with Putin were done on off days while filming "Snowden". We do need to give credit where credit is due though and acknowledge that as uncomfortable as Stone will make you feel with his research, he usually digs a lot deeper than others. (I'm referencing the "Winter on Fire" documentary specifically.)
I think what a person should do, is watch "Winter on Fire" then watch this movie. Reason being, in the very pro-west documentary, you won't think about some things in that documentary and other things you'll have questions about and wish they had dug deeper. Then this documentary explains why they didn't dig deeper.
I've read several comments that this is pro-Russia. I disagree, I think they explain how Russia has screwed over the Ukrainian people. They don't dwell on it the whole time because they want to explain the entire complexity of the situation. The reason Putin probably likes it is because it shows both sides of the story, and if we're frank about it, nobody looks good but at least you get the full story.
I'm American, but I lived in Russia from 1989-1993. I've spent a lot of time in Kiev. I can tell you from my first hand experiences, this documentary portrays the situation more accurately than anything else. The dots connected in this make more sense.
The reason I only gave it 8/10 is because the production value is lacking. It almost looks like they used an Envato template for some of the graphics. Everything outside of that is just great. It's more journalism than documentary.
Speaking of journalism, I think that will be the "red pill" moment for most people when comparing this and "Winter on Fire". Without giving too much away, look at how Tetiana Chornovol is portrayed in both documentaries. Considering there is footage of her doing some of these specific actions in this documentary, I think you can see why this one is likely closer to the truth.