Filming in Babyn Yar

This documentary captures the first public commemoration of the Babyn Yar shootings, which took place 25 years prior. The film documents the efforts of a group of Kyivans, led by writer Viktor Nekrasov, who sought to honor the memory of the victims, primarily Jews, who suffered there.

The crew from the Kyiv Documentary Film Studio, including cameraman Eduard Timlin, cleverly disguised their recording efforts under the pretense of a film about the Soviet police. This approach allowed them to document a pivotal moment in history that the Soviet authorities attempted to suppress.

Filming in Babyn Yar serves as an important piece of historical documentation, reflecting the struggle to acknowledge and remember past atrocities. Its focus on a specific event highlights the ongoing conversation about memory and history in the context of Soviet-era censorship.