Motherland
Directed by Alexander Mihalkovich, Hanna Badziaka- Documentary
- Norway, Sweden, Ukraine
- Belarusian, Russian
- Subtitled
- 2023
- 96 mins
- Vermont premiere
In uncovering Belarus’ brutal military conditions, MOTHERLAND follows a group of mothers whose sons were murdered in army hazing, a young man pressured to enlist, and the man’s friends protesting the rigged election of president Alexander Lukashenko. As some young Belarusians wield weapons for the first time while others seek out secret raves to escape their grim reality, this deeply empathetic and harrowing documentary maintains an underlying faith in humanity while exposing how power corrupts people and countries.