Documentary ‘Big Water’ Unveils Ukraine’s Environmental Catastrophe at UN City Copenhagen

The event, presented in collaboration with Ukraine House in Denmark and HUM Global (the University of Copenhagen), attracted over 200 participants.

The screening was followed by a Q&A session with the courageous directors Hanna Mamonova and Anna Tsyhyma, who filmed under constant shelling in the Kherson region of Ukraine. Their work not only documents the efforts of inspectors collecting vital data, but also captures the personal stories of those affected by this tragedy.

Anna Tsyhyma said, "When we started filming, we met people from the State Ecological Inspectorate and decided to change the focus of the film. We wanted to capture how the people of Kherson were coping and working in the midst of the ongoing investigation, including the collection of water and soil samples. By the anniversary, we were determined to release something that would keep the memory of this crime alive.

Hanna Mamonova expressed her hopes for The Reckoning Project: Ukraine Testifies, "Regarding global jurisdiction and war crimes against the environment, Ukraine hopes that courts in countries that recognize ecocide will also consider crimes against Ukraine's environment."

She highlighted the international support for the review of the work of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, which is crucial for future international trials.

The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring Tim Lardner, Director of the Europe and Central Asia Region at UNOPS, Dr. Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, Senior Researcher at DIIS, and Nataliia Popovych, CEO and chairperson of Ukraine House in Denmark.

Reflecting on the immediate response to the destruction of the dam, Mr. Lardner said, "Within days, we had trucks with generators and water containers on the way to support the immediate impact. He emphasized ongoing efforts to help war-torn communities and to address the vast ecological disaster in Ukraine.

Dr. Flemming Splidsboel Hansen and Nataliia Popovych further explored the importance of narrative framing in global conflicts and the role of international solidarity. Nataliia Popovych stated, "We are building and trying to build an understanding of the future and the fact that right now, when Ukrainian soldiers are defending our freedom with their blood and when millions of Ukrainian lives have been ruined, we are defending our cultural rights, not just the territories and not just the environment. And we defend these cultural rights because for us they are as essential as water and air. We believe that only together can we hopefully rebuild a culture in which freedom and human dignity are respected. So we are working towards these goals, as is Ukraine.

Nataliia also addressed the challenge of countering disinformation and the importance of truthful narratives: "For years, we've seen Russia use hybrid warfare to counter the truth. The brutality of the war and the scale of the war crimes are clear, and if you just acknowledge that, Ukraine doesn't need a narrative. The truth is that Russia is an aggressor, and there can be no moral relativism applied to Ukrainian versus Russian opinion." She added: "Nations are built on how we pass on traditions, literature, art, and memories. Unfortunately, Ukrainian society has been severely traumatized not only by the current destruction, but also by the ability to retell stories for future generations. We need the voices of our artists and intellectuals to preserve and tell our culture and history.”

The screening and subsequent discussion were part of the Heart of Earth project, which runs until November 24 at Ukraine House.

The project is implemented with support of IZOLYATSIA foundation, Trans Europe Halles and Malý Berlín and co-financed by the ZMINA Rebuilding program, created with the support of the European Union under a dedicated call for proposals to support Ukrainian displaced people and the Ukrainian Cultural and Creative Sectors.