Over the past few months, a group of young people from different parts of Ukraine have collaborated to create a documentary theater production that reflects their experiences of growing up amidst ongoing war.
Facilitated by the War Childhood Museum in Ukraine, the documentary theater project “Ozymi,” which translates to “winter crops,” brought together ten teenagers and young adults from cities like Kramatorsk, Kyiv, Lutsk, and beyond. Over a period exceeding two months, they worked closely with mentors to artistically convey their experiences of living in wartime conditions on stage. The premiere took place on Friday, May 31, at the Youth Theater in Kyiv.
How to Talk About War Experiences
Unlike traditional forms, documentary theater eschews symbolic artifice and instead presents genuine, personal narratives. “Documentary theater is a platform where participants tell their own, true stories that matter to them. It provides the methodology and perspective that allow people to work with their personal and collective experiences. For us, this experience is now shaped by war, and for the participants, it is about growing up under wartime conditions. Documentary theater allows actors to find their own place in the history they tell from the stage and gives them the right to publicly speak about their experiences.” – explains Andriy Borutya, project curator and researcher at the War Childhood Museum.
The play draws deeply from the personal testimonies of its participants: stories of evacuation, relocation, education, relationships with family and friends, memories of a peaceful childhood interrupted, the profound loss of loved ones, as well as both humorous and poignant life stories.
Interactive Format
Moreover, documentary theater possesses therapeutic qualities, allowing participants to transform trauma into a reflective experience. The format of “Ozymi” extends beyond the stage, encouraging engagement and dialogue. The audience has the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings after the performance, ask questions, and hear the actors’ impressions of the preparation process and their emotions during the performance.
“During the post-premiere discussion, participants shared how the two-month course with mentors and the creation of the play helped them process personal and collective traumas such as the loss of a loved one, displacement and relocation, and bullying in a foreign school.” – says Andriy Borutya.
The project is supported by the The Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), financed by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United States of America, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden. The activities of the War Childhood Museum in Ukraine are supported by the forumZFD in Ukraine. Read more about the forumZFD and WCM in Ukraine partnership.