Ukrainian Sergiusz Bażenov’s feature tells a story that should never have had to be told. It tells of a filmmaker who becomes a military paramedic in a team with a Dutch volunteer. Together, they witness how war changes people — and themselves. “I’m aiming for a more universal message about war itself, and how it transforms people,” the director tells BDE. “I was certainly transformed by it, and I believe that in today’s world, no one is truly safe, that war can reach anyone. That’s why I want the viewer to imagine themselves in our place. To feel that every death, however distant, diminishes us all.”
Every Death Diminishes Me follows civilians in uniform who didn’t choose war but couldn’t escape it, people who continually return to the front line to treat and evacuate the wounded. “Their daily reality is surgeries in medical outposts, long drives, and conversations about what remains of a person after it all,” read the film notes. “This is a film about life on the edge, about holding onto humanity against all odds — and about a world weakened with every death.”
The film is produced by Svitlana Lishchynska of Trilobit Films. With a third of the budget still to be raised, confirmed partners on the project are the Ukrainian Culture Fund (UA, Pomorska Fundacja Filmowa (PL) and Doxy Film (NL). In Krakow, she is looking for sales, distribution, festival and broadcast interest. She is confident that the film will be ready by early 2026.
The production team includes seasoned Polish editor Irena Banat, and the film has received the support and guidance from international labs such as Doc Lab, Film Bridge and the American Film Showcase. It is Bażenov’s feature debut following four short films and extensive experience as a screenwriter. “He is deeply invested in this personal, lived-through story,” says Lishchynska.
Bażenov goes on to describe the film’s visuals. “It will be shot like a vérité war diary: intimate, unfiltered, and immersive. The observational style is layered with restrained voice-over, maintaining emotional distance while making viewers feel present. War-torn landscapes contrast with close, humane portraits.”
“We’re targeting a premiere at a major documentary or Class A festival in 2026, followed by a strong festival run and sales to broadcasters and streamers,” he continues of the film’s first outing and subsequent career. “We’re still exploring potential partners both for international sales and the impact campaign, with German expert Friederike Freier helping us making connections. We hope to work with someone like Think Film, who are handling impact for the Berlinale-premiered Ukrainian film Timestamp by Kateryna Gornostai, the Berlin-based Good Media Network, or other strong outreach players.”
“This film offers a unique insider perspective directed by a frontline paramedic, it captures war from within. It avoids propaganda or victimhood narratives, instead portraying the daily reality of civilians in uniform,” Bażenov signs off.
