When It Started to Burn documentary arrives on Ukraine Independence Day
Field of Vision has released Anders Hammer’s 36-minute Ukraine war documentary, following a Kyiv volunteer facing an agonizing choice.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
When It Started to Burn, a 36-minute documentary by Anders Hammer, was released by Field of Vision on August 24, 2026, Ukraine’s Independence Day. The film is now available to watch on Field of Vision’s website.
Field of Vision says Hammer filmed the short over four years following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its description places civilians at the center, focusing on people trying to support the resistance as the war’s toll changes lives and neighborhoods in Kyiv.
What is When It Started to Burn about?
The documentary follows Kseniia, a Kyiv resident who creates a volunteer center while her children are taking refuge outside the country, according to Field of Vision. As the conflict continues, she faces a choice between leaving to reunite with her family and staying to protect what remains of the place she once called home.
Field of Vision’s synopsis also describes abandoned neighborhoods and landscapes transformed by war. The organization says the film records both the violence of the conflict and instances of solidarity among people facing danger.
Why did Field of Vision release it on August 24?
The date marks Ukraine’s Independence Day. Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991, and August 24, 2026 marked 35 years since that declaration, according to ABC7 Chicago and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Deadline reported that Field of Vision launched the film on the holiday. The release comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine, which began with its full-scale invasion in 2022, continues.
Where does the film fit in Anders Hammer’s work?
Field of Vision identifies When It Started to Burn as the third part of Hammer’s trilogy about global conflict and civilian resilience. The earlier entries are Do Not Split, about Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, and The Takeover, which focused on Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power.
Do Not Split received an Academy Award nomination, while The Takeover was Emmy-nominated, Field of Vision says. For the new film, the organization’s published description stays with Kseniia’s volunteer work, her separation from her children and the decision she must make as the war grinds on.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.