‘The Eukrainian’ Director on Documenting Ukraine’s Fight for a European Future Ahead of CPH:DOX Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Lise Pedersen Swedish director Viktor Nordenskiöld’s “The Eukrainian,” which has its world premiere at Copenhagen’s documentary festival CPH:DOX, is an intimate portrait of Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Olha Stefanishyna, a key figure in the country’s push for European integration.

Variety spoke to Nordenskiöld about the film, and debuts its trailer here. Filmed between 2022 and 2024, the doc follows Stefanishyna as she navigates political roadblocks in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, leading her country’s efforts to join the European Union and NATO.

A specialist in EU law, Stefanishyna rose through the ranks of government to become the chief architect of Ukraine’s European ambitions in 2020 at just 34 years old. “The Eukrainian” offers a glimpse into the inner workings of EU diplomacy, capturing Ukraine’s struggle to secure wartime aid and overcome opposition within the bloc, particularly from Hungary, all while facing an unpredictable global landscape.

As the documentary unfolds, it becomes clear that Stefanishyna’s battle is not only against external forces but also within Ukraine itself, where the path to reform remains fraught with challenges, including the fight against corruption and the high-stakes battle for reforms to meet the union’s strict membership criteria.