The Land We Fight For
Two farmers from the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Estonia volunteer for the Ukrainian army, determined their countries will never be occupied again.
Ivan and Argo, both 67 years old, once served in the Soviet Army and later built their lives on the land, one in Ukraine, the other in Estonia. Ivan, a Ukrainian farmer and veteran of the ongoing war, takes care of the farm while his son fights at the front.
Up in the north, Argo cultivates his peaceful Estonian fields, yet feels the shadow of war drawing nearer. Haunted by memories of the USSR and aware of Russia’s growing aggression, he joins friends to collect vehicles and deliver them to Ukraine.
Their stories unfold in parallel: two men shaped by the same empire, once witnesses of independence, now standing at the edge of losing it again. Being occupied on their fields, both find a way to defend what they love, their land, their family, their freedom.
Dimitri was born in Estonia to a Ukrainian family and spent much of his life visiting my grandparents in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine. Dimitri hold a master degree in civil engineering. He had directed three fiction short films and one short documentary. In 2023, Dimitri completed the workshop “Preparation for Shooting a Feature Film (based on the film Pamfir)” led by Ukrainian director Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk.