Porcelain War: reviews

What the critics say average 7.6 from 21 outlets

• 10 San Francisco ChronicleBob Strauss Backed by a feral, driving score from Ukrainian folkloric quartet DakhaBrakha, “Porcelain War” makes the case for art as another protective weapon against imperialism. Like Ukraine, the film concludes, the delicate but resilient sculptures may break easily — but are very hard to destroy. Read
• 9.0 Los Angeles TimesRobert Abele Guns, paintbrushes and cameras are tools of national defense for the Ukrainian artists at the center of “Porcelain War,” a sublime and stirring documentary from American filmmaker Brendan Bellomo and Ukrainian ceramicist Slava Leontyev about living, fighting and creating under siege. Read
• 9.0 The Wall Street JournalJohn Anderson It’s difficult to describe the astonishing beauty of “Porcelain War” without trivializing everything and everyone involved. Read
• 8.8 The Washington PostTy Burr Porcelain War is a testament to how life’s beauty — all the world’s fertility an artist is trained to see — endures among privation and death. Read
• 8.5 The WrapWilliam Bibbiani The intensity with which “Porcelain War” presents its horrors will knock you down. Read
• 8.5 Film ThreatBobby LePire Porcelain War is an engaging, timely look at art, war, homeland pride, and the resilience of the human spirit. While it is not subtle, it is impactful and never dull. Read
• 8.3 The Film StageDan Mecca That Porcelain War emerges as a taut, effective war documentary that also features compelling animated sequences within the beautiful artwork of its lead subjects makes it a stand-out piece of filmmaking. Its existence proves its own point: even in war, there must be life. Art sustains us and helps us survive. Read
• 8.3 Original-CinLiz Braun Porcelain War is sometimes heavy-handed in spelling out its own higher meaning, but it is a rare look at the reality of war and the ordinary people compelled to defend their freedom and their way of life. Read
• 8.0 Screen DailyFionnuala Halligan Cinematic essays take many forms: few are as fragile and contemplative as Porcelain War. Read
• 8.0 The Globe and MailJohanna Schneller This film doesn’t flinch from violence, but it finds hope in a people’s patient refusal to surrender who they are. Read
• 8.0 ColliderJason Gorber In the same way, the very act of filmmaking itself helps Porcelain War battle against those that wish to erase this delicate yet resilient culture. Read
• 8.0 Cine PremiereJ. Ivan Morales Porcelain War stands out as a testament to the power of documentary filmmaking, offering a fresh perspective on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine through the stories of those who keep creating despite the turmoil around them. Read
• 7.8 The Austin ChronicleRichard Whittaker It’s that rare film that truly tackles how people live within a bloody conflict. Read
• 7.3 Paste MagazineJacob Oller Porcelain War’s questions around how we cope, and what’s worth fighting for, are as vital as ever with the world still full of ignored pandemics, government-sponsored genocide and ongoing invasions. Read
• 6.7 The PlaylistBrian Farvour “Porcelain War” tries its best to turn attention toward a trio of artists as they attempt to find some equilibrium between the art they love and the battle at hand. Read
• 6.3 Roger EbertPeter Sobczynski Although some of the footage seen in “Porcelain War” is grim and hard to watch, the film is ultimately a celebration of the resiliency of the artistic spirit, even in the most horrifying of circumstances. Read
• 6.0 The Hollywood ReporterDaniel Fienberg There’s a great deal of beauty in Porcelain War and there’s a potent artistry behind it, but I’ve never watched a documentary with so many running visual metaphors and so little faith that the audience will be able to grasp them. It’s a bit stunning and a bit insulting all at once. Read
• 6.0 New York TimesNicolas Rapold Impressively, nearly everything was shot by the documentary’s subjects. Yet although their double duty is an awful fact of life in Ukraine, the film lurches between its varying components and tones. Read
• 6.0 The GuardianPhil Hoad In the most part, though, it’s guided by love for the country’s sylvan landscapes and everything that flows out of them; a sombre, steadfast argument for art’s life-giving properties. Read
• 6.0 VarietyGuy Lodge “Porcelain War” thrives on contrast, much of it poignant. Read
• 5.0 IndiewireMarya E. Gates Yet, the directors never quite find the right symmetry between scenes of life and art with those that uncritically glorify violence. Read