For 27-year-old Ukrainian filmmaker Adelina Borets, making documentaries isn’t just about storytelling: it’s about survival, strength, and the human spirit in its most vulnerable yet powerful form.
Over the past three years, Adelina has produced three films for HelpAge to brings to light the experiences of older people in Ukraine amid war: The light in the darkness (2023), We are still here (2024), and To Feel Human (2025). As Ukraine marks another year of war, Adelina reflects on the journey of creating these films, what she’s learned, and the message she hopes the world will take from them.
Facing fear, finding strength
Despite her years of experience in documentary filmmaking, Adelina admits that working on this trilogy was unlike anything she had done before. “We stared into the face of fear and death,” she recalls, describing the first film, shot during the first year of war. Power cuts, air raid sirens, and logistical nightmares became part of the filmmaking process, yet the team pushed through. “We had so much energy, so much willingness to do this,” she says. “We destroyed that fear inside of us.”
By the second film, the process had become more than just about documenting war; it was about connection. Filming in formerly occupied territories, she and her crew were met with warmth. “Every family welcomed us like we were their own. After filming, we’d sit together, eat, share stories. They had experienced so much tragedy, yet they still had love and hospitality to give.”
The power of kindness in dark times
The third and final film follows Anhelina, a social worker dedicated to helping others despite living through the war herself. Adelina was struck by how uncelebrated people like Anhelina are. “Social workers are the quiet heroes. They bring warmth and care when everything else is falling apart,” she says. “She’s not just an angel because of her job – she truly is one.”
