A New Czech Documentary Challenges War Sceptics with a Trip to Ukraine
A new Czech documentary titled “The Great Patriotic Trip” follows three Czech citizens who doubt the reality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine due to their belief in disinformation.
Director Robin Kvapil, who was personally shocked by the devastation in Ukraine, equipped the three individuals—Petra, Ivo, and Nikola—with cameras to document their two-week experience touring war-torn cities and cemeteries.
The film, which premieres on the anniversary of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, aims to capture the protagonists’ “contact with reality” rather than to change their minds.
Throughout the documentary, the participants, who believe in various conspiracy theories and support Russian President Vladimir Putin, are seen expressing their views.
In one scene, Petra dismisses a mass grave site as “fake” and “Ukrainian propaganda.”
Kvapil admits to being stunned by their reactions but believes the film can still be beneficial, even though the protagonists returned home largely unchanged in their opinions.
