As war rages on between Russia and Ukraine, a war of opinion about the documentation of the war has emerged across the globe. Russian-Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova’s documentary Russians at War recently made headlines due to controversy and protests spurred by its release. The film publicly premiered on September 5, 2024, at the Venice International Film Festival, and was set to make its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 12, 2024. Due to extreme backlash, though, it was postponed to September 17. The documentary aims to provide a ground-level view of soldiers, civilians, and the localized societal impact of the war by covering Russia’s military operations, all while exploring the broader geopolitical dynamics surrounding the war. However, the documentary has been heavily criticized for its alleged bias, selective storytelling, and questionable ethics in its production.

Trofimova, who was born in Moscow and educated in Canada, remains staunch in her claim that the documentary is anti-war. In a statement for Venice, she said “As most eyes were on Ukraine and the horror and devastation the war unleashed on the country and its people, I focused my lens on those most of the world had not seen before–Russian soldiers.” While she was met with overwhelming support in Venice, she also predicted that her film might be subject to attacks and controversy, which she soon after received in Toronto. Protests reached a peak when staff at TIFF felt it was a safety hazard to go on with the screening amidst what they claimed were a variety of violent threats. The outrage reached Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who stated “It’s not right for Canadian public money to be supporting the screening and production of a film like this.” The film’s distributor, TVOntario, also backed away from airing the film as the negative press continued to grow. Despite TIFF’s postponement of the screening, they remained adamant about showing Trofimova’s work.

Cameron Bailey, TIFF Chief Executive Officer, has remained committed to defending the festival's decision to select the film and proceed with its screening despite threats of violence and notable public outcry. In a statement, the festival reiterated that Trofimova’s film was curated for a reason. They reiterated that it ties into their values and themes while remaining staunchly in support of Ukraine, and refers to the outbreak of the war as an “illegal Russian invasion.”

The film depicts Trofimova traveling with Russian soldiers in Eastern Ukraine. She was on a bus in Russia when she met a Ukrainian man named Ilya, who was fighting for the Russian military. Immediately, she was intrigued and decided to follow him on his journey. That the film’s  sole focus is on a Russian battalion has become one of its most heavily criticized aspects. While the horror she follows is tragic, many find the portrayal incomplete. She does not acknowledge the role of Russia in instigating the conflict, nor does she demonstrate the violence that Russian soldiers inflicted on Ukrainian civilians.

Trofimova’s choices have brought forward a larger debate about documentary filmmaking. The art of cinema, especially non-fiction cinema, is often political and, therefore, prone to controversy. Russians at War was shot in a style called Cinéma Vérité, derived from Soviet Filmmaker Dziga Vertov’s Kino-Pravda. This film style is commonly referred to as akin to a fly on the wall, primarily characterized by a lack of voiceover or intervention and the arrangement of clips that seek to authentically capture truth. The government of the USSR did not favor Vertov, and while his work was highly innovative in the cinematic sphere, he was looked down upon for his controversial content. 

Filmmaking doesn’t need to include every perspective or align with popular opinion, but it should portray the chosen subject truthfully and skillfully. In many instances, documentary filmmaking forces viewers to try and realize whether showing something equates to promoting it. As Trofimova is criticized for showing Russian soldiers denying atrocities, what does this mean for the documentation of war at large? Some film critics point out that by displaying the cruel ignorance of many soldiers, audiences can further understand the banality of the Russo-Ukrainian war. While the film has yet to reach widespread release, viewers will be able to decide for themselves if Trofimova adequately portrays the context and complexity that this subject matter requires, or if instead her attempt falls short.

A documentarian’s inherent biases often make their way into films despite the most ardent attempts to maintain neutrality. Documentaries are still a form of creative expression, even if they don’t have any fictional elements. The choices filmmakers make—what to include, what to omit, and how precisely to frame a story—can significantly shape public opinion and historical memory, which can have long-term consequences. Trofimova is of Russian heritage and worked for a sister channel to a Russian state media outlet until 2020. There is speculation that her motivations in creating the documentary stem from a desire to defend Russia. While she may hold inherent biases to her home country, they had no role in the inception of her documentary. 

The methods Trofimova used to create her documentary have also been called into question. Trofimova did not have permission from those at the helm of the war to join and document their journey. She positioned herself within the battalion, and while she did not have explicit permission to film, she was not kicked out. Critics have questioned how much Trofimova cooperated with Russian authorities, potentially compromising the film’s neutrality. The documentary’s access to military operations and high-ranking officials has led some to speculate that the production may have been subject to unknown government oversight or censorship. However, those involved with the film reiterate that Russians at War is a Canadian and French co-production, and Trofimova did not have to go through any official Russian channels.

Russians at War stands at the intersection of journalism, filmmaking, and geopolitical conflict, sparking controversy over its portrayal of Russia’s role in the war in Ukraine. While some argue that the film provides valuable insight into a perspective often ignored by Western media, others accuse it of bias, ethical lapses, and promoting pro-Russian narratives. The controversy surrounding the documentary speaks to significant debates about media representation and censorship, the ethics of war reporting, and the role of documentaries in shaping public understanding of complex, ongoing conflicts. As the film is released to wider audiences, the court of public opinion will assign it a fate and place in history as the Russo-Ukrainian War rages on.