When a country goes through a war, documentarians often feel empowered to capture reality with the aim of creatively reflecting the pain on both a national and personal level. As the history of documentary cinema shows, such conditions can be the birthplace of groundbreaking films that shape the genre. Yet, as film theorist Bill Nichols wrote, “The successful careers of many documentary filmmakers have been built on the misfortune of others.” During Ukraine’s 10 years of war, approaches to documenting reality have continually evolved. Ukrainian filmmakers are often said to use the camera as a …