The story of the artist Daria Zymenko, who in February-March 2022 survived the occupation in Kyiv region with her family and is a survivor of sexual violence committed by the Russian military. Daria decided to tell her story publicly and is cooperating with law enforcement.
This project is a collaboration with Daria. It consists of two parts: a documentary and a fiction. I began and continue to shoot the documentary part in the village of Havronshchyna (Kyiv region, Bucha district), where the events took place, as well as in Kyiv, where the heroine lives. The artistic part is Daria's collages and drawings, including those created during the occupation, which are her artistic and therapeutic practice.
This is a testimonial project and a reflection project. Its task is to tell a story of strength and courage, to convey painful personal experiences, and to give a voice to survivors. Daria's story is one of many. Some voices we will never hear because they died. Some are silent. We need to understand that sexual violence in the occupied territories is a weapon of the Russians. It knows neither gender nor age. It is a way to break a person, a way to subdue them. In March 2022, we were all half a step away from this. Kidnappings, torture and rape in the occupied territories continue to this day.