Review of Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom (2015) by Shawn S — 11 Feb 2016

"Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom" is a chilling recounting of the 2014 Euromaidan protests in Ukraine that lasted for 93 days. This quarrel developed after Ukraine's president decided to strengthen ties with the Russian Federation instead of completing its agreement with the European Union.

The perspective of the film is very one-sided but it is hard to feel anything but sympathy for these peaceful, unarmed protesters. Before you watch this, prepare to see brutal footage of police beatings, people being gunned down on screen, and a complete disregard for human life.

I almost had to look away as stun grenades and tear gas filled the streets around these innocent people, and it just gets worse from there. The interviews tell the story but the real impact of this film comes from its bold imagery.

I applaud the bravery of this film crew as they walked into the line of fire to capture these shots. If the police were shooting Red Cross workers, they certainly would not have hesitated to take out a few film crew members.

It is no wonder that this film was nominated for an Oscar and I hope that the publicity will help to bring peoples' attention to the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine. "Winter on Fire" reveals the destruction of a city and the citizens who stood up to hold on to their freedom.