The depiction of an ongoing war in film: the case of Bucha and 20 Days in Mariupol. A narrative analysis of the films and a comparative analysis of their reception.

This comparative study, which includes narrative, rhetoric, and reception analyses of two films depicting the current war in Ukraine—Bucha and 20 Days in Mariupol—explores the differences in how these films are received by various parties involved in the conflict, specifically Ukraine and russia, as well as by other countries affected by the war. The paper also features a chapter on the russian propaganda tactics as part of the response to the films. The analysis is conducted through the prism of the theory works on film narration by David Bordwell, documentary film by Bill Nichols, and the reception study by Janet Staiger. These theories help analyze and research the narrative structure of the two chosen films, as well as the narrative elements and rhetorical devices employed in them. Moreover, this study aims to research the questions of polarity in the reception of 20 Days in Mariupol and Bucha, and their role in the modern cultural landscape in Ukraine, russia and abroad. Altogether, the analysis demonstrates how the reception of a moving picture in general may depend on the prevailing historical context.