Two Highly Rated Films on Ukraine's History - Streaming Now

[Gator]

Films, good films are one way to understand the culture and history of nations one might visit.  I give you two films on Ukraine.   


Mr. Jones (2019)

True story of Welsh journalist Gareth Jones who first exposed the truth of the Soviet imposed famine in Ukraine in 1932-33.   Known as the Holodomor, it resulted in the death of 3-8 million Ukrainians from starvation, maybe more.   It resulted from the failure of the Soviet collective farm system, and the confiscation of grain grown in fertile Ukraine. 

The Western Press lived a decadent life confined in Moscow reporting only what the Soviets would allow.  Jones took a dangerous, illegal trip to Ukraine, reporting the truth and drawing criticism from Stalin.     

Remindful of the the NYTimes inaccurate reporting of the Russian Collusion story of 2016-2018,  the NYTimes in the 1930s published dispatches from its Moscow bureau chief Walter Duranty that denied the Holodomor,  And yes, Walter Duranty received a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting of the Soviet Union.

You will have to watch the film to learn the fate of Jones. 

Streaming in English on Hulu - Rotten Tomatoes rating of 84% 

Not to be confused with "Bitter Harvest," which I found dreadful. 

[Gator]

Hatred (2016)


Second film surrounds the ethnic violence as WW II swept though Ukraine.   It touches on the Holocaust, but is more about the strife between two Slavic communities: Poles and Ukrainians.   It involves genocide in Ukraine, except it is Ukrainians murdering 50-100 thousand Poles in what is Western Ukraine today. 

It is a story of comely Polish young woman's struggle to survive.  She is a fictional character, yet real characters are mentioned such as Stepan Bandera.  Depicts farm life in the 1940s with weddings, church services, markets, etc.  Warning:  graphic violence. 

Streaming in Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, and German, on Prime Video - Rotten Tomatoes rating of 100%  (audience). 

[2tallbill]

Films

Welcome back I missed reading your insights and I resurrected at least a couple
dozen threads trying to keep the forum active in your absence.

Happy New Year!

Bill