DEFIANT (TIFF 2023) – Review by Peg Aloi

This enthralling documentary is a timely examination and chronicle of the war in Ukraine, beginning in the days before the Russian invasion. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Karim Amer and produced by Odessa Rae, Defiant is fast-moving yet thoughtful, look at the many issues defining a volatile war that has the potential to affect all of Europe. The juxtaposition of the deeply personal traumas affecting the Ukrainians under attack versus the global perception of the war is writ large here, and it is this dramatic contrast that gives powerful depth and scope to the film.

Read more