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(In Ukrainian, with English subtitles) During the winter of 2013-14, the people of Ukraine rose up in protest against their corrupt government, longing for reform and closer ties to the European Union.  Citizens of all ages occupied Independence Square in Kiev, also known as Maidan.  This documentary chronicles those cold and dangerous months, when the people of Ukraine camped out, protested, listened to speeches from supporters, and generally let the government know what reforms they wanted.  After a few months, the government cracked down, trying to clear the square of its thousands of occupants, and the war between protesters and the police began.  Filmed mostly with stationary cameras that reveal shots of long duration, the documentary begins slowly, even tranquilly, with our sense that this before us is a positive, even pure form of anarchy, with the people taking care of themselves and each other and protesting peacefully.  But as the protests and occupation continue, the conflict between citizens and police intensifies, and the police open fire.  We are transfixed with the view of a revolution unfolding before our eyes.  This is truly an uprising of a people who want a better life and are willing to die for it.  The outcome is history now, although the struggle continues in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russian, but what we are permitted to see through these long camera shots is powerful, moving, even breathtaking.

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