One brother is only seen early in the film, presumably because he eventually sought extended treatment in Belgium for injuries he sustained in the Ukrainian defense force. Similarly, Mark Zolotko also fights for Ukraine, while his brother Ruslan fights for the Russian-dominated “separatist” militia. Their youngest brother Daniil will fight for neither side, because his brothers all agreed to his American adoption.
Frankly, that might the last point the brothers will agree on. Mark and Ruslan still occasionally keep in touch, but the former clearly considers the latter a traitor. In contrast, Ruslan seems to blame Ukraine for their mother’s failures and the lean, mean circumstances of their orphanage lives. Daniil, now known as Samuel, might be far removed physically, but he feels trapped between them emotionally. Awkwardly, his very Mississippi parents regularly pray for both Mark and Ruslan, and also help resupply each brother with new Ukrainian or Russian uniforms.
In addition to the Zolotko Brothers, De Pue also follows two of their contemporaries, Natasha, a former boxer now serving as a reserve medic and Angela, whose services as a shlepper into and out of Donetsk are in high demand. Viewers truly see the devastating consequences of Putin’s illegal war through Natasha eyes. De Pue contrasts nostalgic home movies of her graduation with more recent footage of her return to the bombed out school, as part of her deployment.
She also visits her late mother’s home, which appears ransacked and vandalized. At least she can salvage some of her belongings. In contrast, the city of Mariinka has been bombed into a ghost town of skeletal housing projects. Yet, Russian propaganda still loudly trumpets its “liberation” of the hulking ruins.
Like Samuel/Daniil’s family, De Pue tries not to take sides. His approach also extends to Samuel’s’ adoptive parents, who get fair treatment, even though they are exactly the kind of Southern, gun-owning Evangelicals that many filmmakers hold very strong biases against. However, De Pue often contrasts the gun safety and marksmanship training Samuel enjoys, with the life-and-death firefights his brothers frequently endure. The irony is clear, but De Pue wisely leaves it at that.
Indeed, there is only so much wreckage and destruction viewers can observe without casting damning judgement against Putin and Wagner (under whose standard Ruslan sometimes marches). In addition to his intimate access to Mariinka’s embattled youth, he provides a boots-on-the-ground perspective on the state of Donetsk, which isn’t pretty.
Having followed his Mariinka alumni for over nine years, De Pue reveals the long-term toxic repercussions of Putin’s invasions as they metastasize over the passage of time. The impact is not unlike Apted’s Seven-up series, but the rigorously disciplined execution allows for a much more economical 94-minute duration. Recommended for De Pue’s editorial honesty and integrity, Mariinka screens again this Saturday (3/14), as well as the 17th. 19th, 21st, and 22nd, during this year’s CPH: DOX.
