From the frontlines to the world stage, Troopers of Music is a searing and soulful take a look at the resilience of artists caught within the crossfire of battle. Directed by Ryan Smith, the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker behind NFL 360: Who If Not Us, this highly effective documentary provides a deeply human take a look at Ukrainian musicians who traded devices for arms to defend their nation — and in doing so, redefined the that means of resistance.
Now obtainable on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video, Troopers of Music is a must-watch for anybody who believes within the energy of artwork to endure, uplift, and unify.
🎬 IMDb web page: Troopers of Music (2024) 📸 Official Web site: soldiersofsongfilm.com
A Story Born from the Trenches
The inspiration for Troopers of Music started throughout Smith’s earlier work on NFL 360: Who If Not Us, a gripping quick doc that adopted Ukrainian athletes who left the gridiron for the battlefield.
“Whereas sourcing music for that challenge, I linked with many Ukrainian musicians and found their unbelievable resilience and dedication to their nation,” Smith remembers.
This emotional thread would grow to be the heartbeat of Troopers of Music — a movie that goes past headlines to indicate how music and identification can grow to be weapons of survival.
The Value of Creation in Wartime
From Boombox frontman Andriy Khlyvnyuk—who swapped sold-out concert events for flying drones in trenches—to the lack of Illya Hravar, a gifted pianist who volunteered to struggle and by no means got here dwelling, the documentary captures sacrifice in its rawest kind.
“These tales spotlight the painful decisions artists have needed to make, buying and selling their devices for weapons, figuring out that their nation’s survival is at stake.”
The movie doesn’t simply doc these transitions; it honors them with lyrical energy and searing honesty.
Soundtracking Survival
Music isn’t simply the topic of Troopers of Music—it’s the emotional language of the movie. Via tracks by artists like Slava Vakarchuk and stay frontline performances, Smith weaves a sonic tapestry of resilience.
“I built-in music through the use of performances… whose songs have grow to be anthems of resilience,” he explains. “We additionally included recordings from the entrance strains, the place troopers used music to remain linked to their identification.”
This method turns the movie into each a documentary and a residing mixtape of a nation beneath siege.
Actual Individuals, Actual Battle
“One key lesson I took from Who If Not Us was the significance of private storytelling,” Smith says. “I wished to deal with the people behind the battle—individuals with desires, households, and passions who discovered themselves in extraordinary circumstances.”
Working alongside greater than 30 Ukrainian collaborators, together with embedded cinematographers and discipline producers, the manufacturing staff captured all the pieces from frontline footage to highly effective musical avenue performances. In a single notably shifting scene in Lviv’s Rynok Sq., Smith stumbled upon pupil singers elevating funds for a teacher-turned-soldier.
“Their ardour and emotion have been palpable. We knew immediately they needed to be a part of the movie.”
Grit Behind the Lens
Producing a movie in an energetic battle zone got here with vital challenges. Editors Kadim and Julia labored remotely out of Irpin, usually battling energy outages and freezing situations.
“Scheduling interviews in a rustic at battle additionally proved difficult,” Smith shares. “We needed to be versatile, adapt to navy situations, and maintain security as a high precedence.”
The result’s a movie that feels as speedy because it does intimate.
From Tribeca to International Screens
Troopers of Music premiered on the Tribeca Movie Competition in 2024 to highly effective viewers reactions.
“Viewers have been deeply moved by the private tales and the broader narrative of resilience, which affirmed the emotional depth we aimed to seize.”
The movie is now streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video, with extra screenings persevering with at theaters, universities, and group occasions throughout Europe and the U.S.
A Mirror to the Second
“The movie serves as a reminder of the realities Ukrainians proceed to face… highlighting the resilience of its individuals and their unwavering dedication to defending their tradition, historical past, and sovereignty.”
From the devastating Mariupol theater bombing to the on a regular basis heroism of scholars and troopers, Troopers of Music captures a nation’s spirit within the face of darkness.
What Comes Subsequent
Smith is already at work on his subsequent challenge, which follows LA avenue artists as they journey to Ukraine, utilizing murals to convey therapeutic and shade to communities devastated by battle.
“I need to proceed telling tales that mirror the therapeutic energy of artwork and group,” he says.
Join with Troopers of Music
🔗 Official Web site: soldiersofsongfilm.com 📸 Instagram: @soldiersofsongfilm 👍 Fb: Troopers of Music Movie 🎵 TikTok: @soldiersofsongfilm
In regards to the Director
Ryan Smith is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker recognized for his human-centered, emotionally charged documentaries. His 2022 movie, NFL 360: Who If Not Us, spotlighted Ukrainian soccer players-turned-soldiers, establishing his voice as one deeply dedicated to telling tales of sacrifice, tradition, and survival.
🎥 IMDb: Ryan Smith
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“Finally, the objective was to inform a narrative that not solely informs but additionally honors the resilience, humanity, and hope of these affected by the battle.” — Ryan Smith
