2000 Meters to AndriivkaImage via the Sundance Institute
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Liam Gaughan
Published 42 minutes ago
Liam Gaughan is a film and TV writer at Collider. He has been writing film reviews and news coverage for ten years. Between relentlessly adding new titles to his watchlist and attending as many screenings as he can, Liam is always watching new movies and television shows.
In addition to reviewing, writing, and commentating on both new and old releases, Liam has interviewed talent such as Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Plemons, Sam Mendes, Billy Eichner, Dylan O'Brien, Luke Wilson, and B.J. Novak. Liam aims to get his spec scripts produced and currently writes short films and stage plays. He lives in Allentown, PA.
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The word “bravery” is too often used to describe films that, at the end of the day, are ultimately just works of entertainment. However, there is no other way to describe an ambitious undertaking like 2000 Meters to Andriivka, which put the lives of its crew in danger. 2000 Meters to Andriivka was directed by the Academy Award-winning documentarian Mstyslav Chernov, whose previous film, 20 Days in Mariupol, documented the first few weeks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Although the suffering of the Ukrainian people has been disturbingly ignored as the world looks on to other developing conflicts, Chernov intended to show the sheer brutality that his nation was experiencing in one of its most dangerous wars ever. The footage he found for 2000 Meters to Andriivka is haunting, shocking, and infuriating, and it’s more important than ever that it is seen.
Access is still a major issue in the film industry, as many top award contenders are only available to those who live in coastal cities or have the inordinate extra funds needed to attend festivals. This is particularly harmful in the case of documentaries, which already face an uphill battle in attracting interest. Thankfully, 2000 Meters to Andriivka has been made available to stream for free on both PBS’s streaming platform and YouTube, ensuring that it can reach the widest possible audience. PBS has certainly faced a rough year due to the cuts to funding, but 2000 Meters to Andriivka is the type of eye-opening work of nonfiction media that proves why public broadcasting is so critical in keeping the public informed.
‘2000 Meters to Andriivka’ Was a Dangerous Production
2000 Meters to Andriivka is unique when compared to most documentaries because Chernov had no idea how the film would end based on how he followed a developing situation. In order to understand what the Ukrainian defense forces experienced when trying to take back their home country from Russia’s occupying military force, Chernov followed a group of soldiers as they trekked to the city of Andriivka, which had been taken over in the second year of the war. Not only is the mission a dangerous one due to the difficult terrain and heavy firepower of Russian soldiers, but it’s heartbreaking in what it reveals about the lasting damage done to the nation. The Ukrainian militia travels through areas that have been decimated and ransacked, as decades of history and culture have been erased by the Russian attacks. Among the most heartbreaking points that Chernov makes in the film is that Ukraine has lost something that it will never be able to regain, even if it is miraculously able to liberate its people.
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Posts By Liam Gaughan2000 Meters to Andriivka features some of the most intense combat footage ever caught on film. While even the most brutal war films like Black Hawk Down or this year’s Warfare do their best to simulate what it's like to be in the midst of a firefight, Chernov was literally ducking for cover with the Ukrainian soldiers as they tried to avoid being shot. The notion that Chernov could do this in the midst of this process feels quite impossible, as many of the subjects that he interviews in the film lose their lives. Even more developments to the story had to be incorporated after its initial premiere; although 2000 Meters to Andriivka made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January, the version released on PBS incorporated updated information about Ukraine’s plight based on everything that had occurred within the last eleven months.
‘2000 Meters to Andriivka’ Captures an Expanding Crisis
In a media landscape in which truth is under fire, 2000 Meters to Andriivka offers a visceral account of the atrocities being committed that also humanizes the Ukrainian people who have been defending their homes. Although Chernov clearly believes that they are heroes, the platoon he’s traveling with is vastly outnumbered and outgunned by their enemy combatants, as their group includes many volunteers who do not have any formal military training. Chernov uses a clever framing device in counting down the meters before the platoon finally reaches Andriivka, which begins to feel more like a ceremonial victory than anything else. Although it's no surprise that the village has been eradicated and that its people were forced to flee, it still makes for a devastating cinematic moment.
The importance of what Chernov achieved cannot be overstated, but 2000 Meters to Andriivka deserves praise for the incredible filmmaking and editing used to make it an immersive experience, which rivals any documentary (and frankly, most narrative films) that were released in 2025. It’s not only a film that has the legitimate power to change hearts and minds, but proof of why the medium is such an effective way to tell important stories. While the impeccable craftsmanship of 2000 Meters to Andriivka makes it a must-see for any cinephile, the subject material it tackles is of such urgency that it should be seen by anyone with a conscience.
2000 Meters to Andriivka is available to watch for free on PBS.com.
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2000 Meters to Andriivka
Like Follow Followed Documentary Release Date January 23, 2025 Runtime 106 Minutes Director Mstyslav Chernov Genres Documentary Powered by
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