Join us for a screening of Porcelain War, an award-winning documentary that follows Ukrainian artists as they navigate life and creativity amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Organized by the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding and C4SI Initiative the documentary will be followed by a panel discussion. 

Porcelain War chronicles the experience of Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko and Andrey Stefanov, civilian artists in Kharkiv, who choose to remain in Ukraine after the 2022 invasion. Slava becomes a weapons instructor for civilian volunteers, Anya decorates the porcelain figurines they craft by hand, and Andrey documents life on the front line—even as he arranges safety for his family abroad. Through a blend of intimate GoPro footage, aerial drone shots and animated vignettes, the film emphasises art’s role as both defiance and solace amid conflict. The documentary premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, winning the US Documentary Competition Grand Jury Prize, and was later nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.

This screening seeks to stimulate discussion on the role of art and cultural expression in conflict and peacebuilding. It will bring together Geneva’s peacebuilding actors, policy and academic institutions, and the Geneva-based Ukrainian community. The event aims to highlight civilian experiences of the Ukraine war through this award-winning film and to leverage the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform’s inter-agency network to deepen collaboration on cultural approaches to peace.

Speakers

• Brendan Bellomo, Director of Porcelain War (online)
• Slava Leontyev, Ukrainian artist, former soldier, and co-director of Porcelain War
• Anya Stasenko, Ukranian ceramics artist 
• Andrey Stefanov, Ukranian artist 
• Jennifer Thornquest, Research assistant and podcast producer, the Centre on Conflict, Development & Peacebuilding