“People who have been living under occupation for almost twelve years continue painting graffiti, continue showing that they are not traitors, that they are waiting for Ukraine there. It is an enormous act of courage to remain Ukrainian under occupation,” said screenwriter, producer, and co-founder of the NGO “Tuteshni” Anna Sliusarenko during the panel discussion “Cases of Resilience: What We Do to Endure.” During the panel, she presented the documentary People of the Color of Freedom. The film explores how resilience is formed in temporarily occupied territories through everyday acts of nonviolent resistance, preservation of identity, language, symbols, and the inner determination to remain Ukrainian despite the regime of Russian occupation.
The panel, organized within The Impulse Project, brought together civil society organizations from frontline communities working on solutions for resilience, recovery, and social cohesion under the difficult conditions of war. The discussion took place during the XIV Civil Society Forum held in Kyiv on December 5.
People of the Color of Freedom is a documentary film about the nonviolent resistance of Ukrainians to Russian aggression from 2014 to the present day. The film shows that the struggle for freedom and independence continues every day not only on the front line, but also in towns and villages under occupation. In places where people cannot take up arms and are left only with their will, imagination, and inner conviction, nonviolent resistance emerges — the affirmation of Ukraine under conditions of Russian terror.
The film’s theatrical release will run from December 11 to 14, while the premiere screening will take place on December 11 at Planeta Kino, followed by a discussion and conversation with the creative team. Pre-premiere screenings of the film have already taken place in Ukraine and abroad. In November 2025, the film was screened for Members of the European Parliament in Brussels.
Speaking about resilience and recovery during the panel discussion, Anna Sliusarenko emphasized that neither is possible in temporarily occupied territories without the people who continue resisting there:
“Our film is about resistance. About a person demonstrating their belonging to Ukraine through their actions, even when they physically cannot do anything against the occupiers. The conditions of occupation kept changing and becoming increasingly dangerous. Today, resistance itself can simply mean realizing that you are Ukrainian. You may hold a Russian passport because you are forced to live under the rules imposed by the occupation authorities, but you can still have a Ukrainian heart and maintain your connection with Ukraine.”
She explained that the team collected testimonies from people who continue living under occupation in Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Novoazovsk, Melitopol, and Kherson. The goal was to show both Ukrainians and the international community that there are still people there waiting for Ukraine. Through closed communication channels, the team distributed questionnaires asking: “What keeps you going?” and “What gives you resilience?” They were deeply moved by the responses people sent back in voice messages.
One respondent, a young woman from Simferopol who finished school already under occupation, admitted that she reads Taras Shevchenko before going to sleep and secretly teaches Ukrainian language to others. As Sliusarenko noted, this is an extraordinary act of courage that deserves to be spoken about openly.
The film features stories of activists from the nonviolent resistance movements “Yellow Ribbon” and “Angry Mavka,” as well as testimonies from people who continue living in occupied cities and still find the courage to paint yellow-and-blue flags, hang ribbons, distribute posters with Ukrainian symbols, preserve Ukrainian traditions, and even teach the Ukrainian language.
Sliusarenko emphasized that a sense of community is critically important for people living in temporarily occupied territories. When they see a ribbon or a symbol placed by someone else, it gives them the feeling that there are others like them, that they are not alone. That is why these stories must be collected, shown, and heard.
We encourage you to witness these stories personally. The documentary People of the Color of Freedom will be screened in Planeta Kino cinemas from December 11 to 14.
This article about People of the Color of Freedom is the first in a series of publications dedicated to the experiences and achievements of other organizations participating in the panel discussion “Cases of Resilience: What We Do to Endure.” Upcoming materials will explore civic participation in recovery, work with youth and veterans, the development of civil society during wartime, and the key ideas shaping the vision of resilience for 2025.
The panel discussion took place within The Impulse Project, implemented by the International Renaissance Foundation and East Europe Foundation with funding from Norway (Norad) and Sweden (Sida).
