No such distance

A Philippine-produced documentary on the war in Ukraine is being hailed by diplomats as a historic milestone for Filipino journalism — the country’s first war chronicle of the 21st century told from the front lines of a global conflict.

“Hope For the Dawn to Come“ premiered 29 January 29 at Gateway Cineplex before diplomats, journalists and civil society leaders. Attendees praised the film not only for its emotional power, but for placing the Philippines on the map as a creator of globally relevant historical storytelling.

Produced by The PHILBIZNEWS, the 38-minute documentary follows Ukrainian schoolchildren who continue pursuing education despite relentless Russian attacks.

Filming began in April 2022, at the height of the invasion and took three and a half years to complete across Ukraine, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The project marks a rare and defining moment: Filipino journalists stepping into the role of international war chroniclers, preserving the human record of one of the most consequential conflicts of the century.

Much of the footage was captured firsthand by Monsi Alfonso Serrano, founder and publisher of THEPHILBIZNEWS, who said the documentary reflects a responsibility for Filipino storytellers to engage with global realities that shape the future.

“Despite the war, they continue to go to school. They don’t care about the bombing,” Serrano said.

“I hope that kind of resilience resonates with Filipino youth, especially the value they place on education. This is not just Ukraine’s story; it’s a lesson for the world, including us.”

The Honey Academy in Kharkiv, where scenes were filmed in 2022, was later destroyed by sustained shelling, turning the documentary into an unintended historical archive of a place that no longer exists.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the Philippines, Yuliia Fediv, praised the film as a counterweight to misinformation and war fatigue, emphasizing the importance of international voices documenting Ukraine’s reality.

“Numbers alone cannot explain a war,” Fediv said. “When international storytellers give faces to those numbers, the world listens. It is important that Ukraine’s story is told beyond borders.”

Journalists and diplomats at the screening said the documentary demonstrates the Philippines’ growing role in global discourse.

Israeli Ambassador Dana Kursh praised the decision to tell the story through children’s eyes, calling it “an amazing and deeply human approach.”

European Union Ambassador Massimo Santoro, who has visited Ukraine, warned: “The bigger victim here is the international rules-based order. We hope for an end — but it must be a fair and just one.”

The documentary arrives amid mounting geopolitical tensions from Eastern Europe to the Pacific. Analysts warn that events in Ukraine, Taiwan, Greenland and the West Philippine Sea are increasingly testing international norms and sovereignty.

Serrano said this global context was central to the film’s purpose.

“What is happening in Ukraine reminds us that peace and sovereignty cannot be taken for granted,” he said.