Ukrainian 'Porcelain War' documentary wins Directors Guild of America Award

The winners of the 77th annual DGA Awards were announced in the United States on Feb. 8. Porcelain War was honored in the category of Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary.

"This incredible recognition was only possible thanks to the unwavering support of the heroic Ukrainians who made the film possible," Slava Leontyev wrote.

A deep bow of gratitude to you, friends!" 

Leontyev and Brendan Bellomo attended the awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, where Leontyev also brought his dog, Frodo - one of the key figures in the film.

Porcelain War depicts Kharkiv during the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, focusing on a family of artists. Director Slava Leontyev, who serves as a shooting instructor in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, creates porcelain figurines in his spare time, which are then painted by his wife, Anna Stasenko. Despite the war, the couple chose to stay in Kharkiv.

The film is also nominated for an Academy Award at the 97th Oscars in the Best Documentary Feature category.

Notably, Mstyslav Chernov, director of the 20 Days in Mariupol Oscar-winning documentary, was previously honored by the DGA for his harrowing portrayal of Russia’s brutal siege of Mariupol.

The top prize at the 77th DGA Awards was won by American director Sean Baker for Anora, a film that tells the story of a romance between a stripper and the son of a Russian oligarch.