At Rome’s MIA 2024, we sat down with the team behind the documentary feature Ukrainian Whispers, helmed by Francesca Mannocchi and pitched at the gathering’s Italians Doc It Better event. The film centres on the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and navigates the devastated streets of Bucha, a city symbolic of the horrors of war, which Mannocchi entered just three weeks after its liberation from Russian forces.
“With her usual journalistic and human sensitivity, Mannocchi collects testimonies from survivors, the only bearers of memories that resist the passage of time and oblivion. The documentary reflects on suffering, resilience, and the power of storytelling, placing humanity at the centre of the ruins of conflict,” reveals the team.
The film’s main themes are memory and war, experienced through personal and intimate stories and survivors’ testimonies and music as a counterbalance to the silence and atrocious noise of war.
Mannocchi is a journalist and documentary maker specialised in conflict and migration, with extensive frontline experience in war zones. Her approach is distinguished by her ability to establish a deep human connection with the people she meets and portrays, emphasising the intimate dimension of testimony.
“In Ukrainian Whispers, Mannocchi focuses on the survivors, those who lived through the horrors of war and carry the burden of a memory that cannot be ignored. The documentary reflects her commitment to giving voice to the most vulnerable, depicting war not only through its violent images but also through the emotions and silence of those who have lived the conflict first-hand. Mannocchi chooses to focus on small, everyday stories to convey the greatness and tragedy of war,” the team further explains.
“Therefore, the film aims to tell the story of the war in Ukraine by presenting the survivors’ experiences with an intimate and human approach. The goal is to raise international awareness, not just of the war itself, but of the weight of memory and testimony as forms of resistance and consciousness. The film stands out for the delicacy of its storytelling and its narrative depth, inviting reflection on human suffering and the need to preserve the memory of atrocities to prevent the manipulation of reality.”
Mannocchi is working alongside editor and screenwriter Daniela Mustica. Italian songwriter Iononsonouncane (aka Jacopo Incani) is in charge of the film’s score. Domenico Procacci and Laura Paolucci are producing for the Rome-based outfit Fandango, in collaboration with La 7. Eleonora Savi and Ivan Fiorini are serving as the executive producers. Moreover, the project has received backing from Italy’s Ministry of Culture – Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual.
The film will hit theatres on 4 November through a series of special screenings. “At MIA, our primary goal is to find international distributors, financiers, and platforms that can support this powerful documentary about memory and war, conveying a strong message that combines universality and relevance,” adds the team.
“Attending MIA gives us the opportunity to seek strategic partners for the international distribution of the documentary and to promote its circulation in film festivals, streaming platforms, and television networks across Europe and globally. There is an expectation to attract the interest of distributors and buyers focused on socially relevant content, as well as prestigious festivals where the film can gain further visibility,” they conclude.
