“They can destroy a village, but they cannot destroy a symbol,” stated the documentary’s author in an interview about his experience with Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade to document the battle for Andriivka’s liberation.
Situated in the Donetsk administrative region, the village seized by Russian forces in 2022 has a sole access route—a two-kilometer forest, now a heavily mined battleground. During Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive, the fight for Andriivka mirrored the wider conflict.
“It’s just two kilometers. But that forest contains the entire war,” said Mstyslav Chernov at the documentary premiere in Los Angeles. “By witnessing the battle for that forest, we can see the battle for the entire frontline.”
Chernov aims for the documentary to capture international attention as media coverage of the conflict wanes amidst ongoing negotiation efforts.
The filmmaker emphasized the Ukrainian desire for peace, noting a clear urgency over the past six months. “It’s a priority,” he stated. “But when a neighbor continues to attack cities and advance on the battlefield, occupying more territory, naturally we want to fight back.”
The documentary showcases intense combat for every meter gained. Through cameras carried by Chernov and colleague Alex Babenko, alongside helmet camera footage and drone shots, audiences confront the war’s horrors. It offers an immersive, firsthand perspective unlike anything seen before.
“We can read or watch from afar, but being there, feeling the fear, hearing drones overhead, and walking with soldiers toward the objective was previously inaccessible,” Chernov explained, crediting technology for allowing views of the battlefield and soldier experiences like never before.
Despite technological advancements, the footage also highlights the conflict’s primitive nature: soldiers crawling into trenches with limbs severed by mines, makeshift tourniquets, and violent deaths from mortar blasts or ambushes.
“The primal fear and rage in battle remain unchanged in 100, 200, or a thousand years,” Chernov noted. “But with technology, it sometimes feels like watching science fiction,” he continued. “These contrasting perspectives offer something unique, expanding the documentary genre and, crucially, allowing us to finally feel what these men feel.”
Having won a Pulitzer Prize for his work with Associated Press and an Oscar for “20 Days in Mariupol,” Mstyslav Chernov shared his personal ties to the battle for Andriivka. The village is less than two hours from his hometown, Kharkiv, which remains under bombardment.
“These are places from my childhood where I visited my grandmother and played with friends in the woods,” he recounted. “It feels like these men are fighting for my childhood, my memories, and life.”
Deserted and destroyed, the village of Andriivka and its forest, a site of significant casualties on both sides, held more than strategic importance. “I remember soldiers saying this forest was as important as every street in Kyiv because it’s all our land,” Chernov said.
“They were losing lives, friends for this. Their words signaled they were doing it for a symbol of hope,” he added. They wanted to raise the Ukrainian flag again in Andriivka, capturing the moment to inspire Ukrainians.
“The soldiers understand modern warfare isn’t restricted to the battlefield; it’s also in the media,” he continued. “If they raise the flag, but no one sees, what’s the point? It’s meant to be a symbol of hope.”
“2,000 Meters to Andriivka,” co-produced by Frontline (PBS) and Associated Press, had its initial screening at Sundance and has now premiered in cinemas across the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland. International distribution is managed by Dogwoof.
