Ukrainian films worth watching — top best cinema.

Ukrainian cinema is constantly evolving, especially in recent years. In general, Ukrainian films worth watching appear quite often on screens. At the same Time, in recent years, the top themes that can be seen in cinema have changed. This is significant, as it reflects what currently concerns Ukrainians.

Overall, Ukrainian cinema is interesting and unique. It is quite atypical for the world as a whole, and therefore it becomes top-rated even abroad. Many Ukrainians also shoot series.

Top Ukrainian films worth watching

Not so long ago, Ukrainian cinema was predominantly associated with black-and-white films of the Soviet era or low-budget films that were shown only at national festivals. However, over the last decade, the Ukrainian film industry has undergone a true renaissance. New talented directors, screenwriters, actors, and cameramen have entered the world stage, and films shot in Ukraine receive recognition at international festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Toronto.

These films are not just entertainment. They reflect our culture, history, and social processes. Ukrainian cinema today is about depth, emotions, honesty, experimentation, and national identity. It speaks a language that is understandable to us, as it is about ourselves.

Ukrainian cinematography is multi-faceted — from psychological drama to arthouse experiment, from documentary to touching comedy.

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965)

The director of the film was Serhiy Paradzhanov.

This is one of the most significant films not only of Ukrainian but also of world cinema. Based on the story by Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, it opened the audience's eyes to the richness of Hutsul culture, rituals, music, and the nature of the Carpathians.

The film impresses with symbolism, vivid imagery, and the unusual camerawork for that time. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is not just a love story between Ivan and Marichka. It is an epic poem about life and death, about the soul that lives in the traditions of the people.

This film was banned in the USSR, but underground screenings took place. Today, decades later, it remains incredibly relevant, emotional, and profound.

The Tribe (2014)

A more recent film directed by Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi.

This film shocked and at the same time conquered the world. The Tribe is a unique experiment: the entire film is shot without a single word — the characters communicate using sign language without subtitles, and the viewer is immersed in the world of a boarding school for the deaf.

Despite the absence of dialogues, the plot unfolds very tense: violence, love, teenage cruelty, survival — all conveyed with utmost honesty.

The film has received numerous awards, including three prizes at the Cannes Film Festival. The Tribe is not easy to watch, but it leaves a strong impression. It is an example of how Ukrainian cinema can be bold and deeply psychological.

Atlantis (2019)

A more recent film directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych.

This film is a dystopia about Ukraine in 2025 after a victorious yet exhausting war with Russia. At the center of the plot is a former soldier trying to find himself in peaceful life, working on disposing of the bodies of the dead. After meeting a volunteer, he begins to rethink his life.

The distinctive feature of the film lies in its stylistics. Vasyanovych shoots with long static shots, often with amateur actors, creating an atmosphere of reality and post-war decline.

Atlantis received the Grand Prix at the Venice Film Festival in the Horizons section. It is a deep and painful film that resonates with contemporary reality, especially after the full-scale invasion in 2022.

My Thoughts are Quiet (2019)

The director of this film is Antonio Lukich.

This tragicomedy became a true discovery for the Ukrainian audience. It tells the story of sound engineer Vadym, who dreams of leaving Ukraine but is forced to go on an expedition to Transcarpathia to record animal voices. His mother accompanies him — and it is in this duet that the strength of the film lies.

My Thoughts are Quiet is a tender, humorous, sometimes touching story about family relationships, self-discovery, and the inner conflict of generations. With very lively dialogue, a leisurely pace, and warm shots of Ukrainian nature, the film creates a light but emotional mood.

It shows that Ukrainian cinema can be light, human, and very close to the heart. It is a film you want to watch again.

The Price of Truth (2019)

This film was directed by Agnieszka Holland.

One of the most important films about the Holodomor. This is the story of British journalist Gareth Jones, who came to the USSR in 1933 to investigate what was really happening in Ukraine. He witnesses the horrors of the artificial famine, but the world does not want to hear the truth.

The film was made in co-production with Poland, the UK, and Ukraine. It shows an important historical truth that has long been silenced. And although the plot is based on real events, The Price of Truth is presented as a tense thriller with a political subtext.

It is a film about courage, journalistic ethics, the value of words, and the price paid for the truth. It is heavy but essential viewing for every Ukrainian.

20 Days in Mariupol (2023)

Ukrainian cinema is not just entertainment. It is a space where we can see ourselves, our joys and sorrows, hear our native language, and feel the depth of culture and the pain of the people. It is different — sometimes heavy, sometimes light, but always sincere.

The films in this list are proof that Ukraine is capable of creating quality, profound, modern cinema that is not ashamed to show to the world. And most importantly — that is worth watching for us.

During the war, a film directed by Myroslav Chernov was released.

This documentary became the first Ukrainian laureate of the Oscar award in the category of Best Documentary Feature Film. The film is a testimony to the horrors experienced by the residents of Mariupol during the city's siege by Russian troops in 2022. Director Myroslav Chernov, along with cameraman Yevhen Maloletka, remained in the city to document the realities of war: ruined buildings, injured children, mass burials. The film not only documents events but also conveys the emotional state of people caught in the epicenter of the tragedy. 20 Days in Mariupol is a powerful reminder of the price Ukraine pays for its freedom.

Catch the Kayi (2020, series)

The director of this powerful and deep series is Natalka Vorozhbyt - a famous Ukrainian playwright and screenwriter who managed to breathe modern life into a classic story. Catch the Kayi is a modern adaptation of the cult novella by Ivan Nechuy-Levytskyi, The Kayi Family, which has long become a symbol of family troubles and complex human relationships in Ukrainian literature. However, the events have been transferred not to the 19th century but to the period from 2005 to 2014 — a very difficult time for Ukraine, allowing viewers to see how eternal problems of family conflicts and misunderstandings acquire new colors in a modern context.

The series' plot masterfully and delicately shows conflicts between generations, different views on life, social and political changes that significantly affect the everyday life of an ordinary Ukrainian family. It displays a wide range of emotions: from love and warmth to disappointment, resentment, and quarrels that often arise even among the closest people. The series reveals to viewers how complex human relations can be when personal ambitions, old traditions, and new realities intertwine within a family.

Catch the Kayi has received numerous favorable reviews for its deep, well-written script, as well as for the realism of the actors' performances, where each character seems like a living, real person with their flaws and virtues. Importantly, the series touches on very relevant themes — from difficult issues of emigration, economic hardships, political instability to interpersonal relationships that always remain in the spotlight.

This story inspires reflection on the value of family, the importance of understanding and tolerance, as well as on the idea that even in the most challenging moments of life, one should not lose humanity and a sense of humor. The series creates an atmosphere in which one wants to immerse oneself and live together with the characters their joys and sorrows, and most importantly — to understand that a real family is support, even if it is far from perfect.

Dovbush (2023)

Director Oles Sanin shot another unique film in 2023.

Dovbush is a grand historical drama that tells the story of the legendary Carpathian outlaw Oleksa Dovbush. The events unfold in the early 18th century, when Hutsuls fought against the oppression of the Polish gentry. The film impresses with its visual beauty, authenticity of costumes, and deep immersion in the atmosphere of the time. Filming took place in the Carpathians, which added special authenticity to the film. Dovbush became one of the most expensive Ukrainian films, but it lived up to the expectations of viewers and critics.

Cyborgs (2017)

This powerful film was directed by Akhtem Seitablayev — a well-known Ukrainian actor and director who invested his soul and deep understanding of events into the film. Cyborgs is not just a war drama, but a real emotional saga that reveals one of the most important and tragic episodes of modern Ukrainian history — the defense of Donetsk Airport in 2014. It was there that Ukrainian soldiers, despite relentless enemy attacks and incredible difficulties, managed to withstand and show an example of indomitable will and heroism.

The film is based on real events and tells the life and struggle of soldiers, who were popularly called 'cyborgs' for their superhuman resilience and endurance. The picture does not shy away from any details: from fierce battles to human fates, fears, and hopes that accompanied the defenders of the airport. There is no place for pathos here — only true emotions, sincere relationships between comrades, and the high price of freedom.

In addition to the dramatic plot, Cyborgs became an important cultural phenomenon that helped Ukrainians better understand the scale of the war in Donbas and the world to appreciate the strength of the Ukrainian spirit. The film has won numerous awards at national and international film festivals, as well as received positive reviews from critics and viewers. For many, this film became not just a movie, but a symbol of remembrance of those who did not break and defended the country at the cost of their own lives.

The Black Crow (2019)

In 2019, director Taras Tkachenko presented another significant film to the audience that deeply immersed in the complex historical events of Ukraine — The Black Crow. This is an adaptation of the eponymous novel by famous Ukrainian writer Vasyl Shkliar, who managed to convey the spirit and atmosphere of the times of the struggle for Ukrainian independence in the 1920s. The film opens up little-known but extremely important pages of history, revealing the tragic yet heroic struggle of Ukrainian insurgents.

The main character, an ataman known by the nickname The Black Crow, leads a squad of brave men who wage an uneven war against the Soviet authority, which is trying to destroy the national aspirations of the Ukrainian people. The film not only shows military actions but also deeply delves into the moral choices faced by insurgents. Questions of honor, loyalty, and sacrifice intertwine here with the pain of loss and hope for a bright future.

The Black Crow is marked by the richness and depth of its narrative. The director skillfully recreated the atmosphere of that time, conveying through details of costumes, landscapes, and daily life the authenticity of the era. The film has become an important contribution to the popularization of Ukrainian history, opening for a wide audience pages that previously remained unnoticed. This film is not only about the struggle for statehood, but about the strength of spirit, about invincibility and the longing for freedom that live in every Ukrainian.