This documentary takes us on a personal journey, asking: What are you willing to fight for?

It celebrates our humanity and resilience, reminding us that no matter how grave the threat, our desire to create is always stronger than fear.

When the full-scale invasion began, I stayed in my chosen home, Kyiv. The violence around me left me feeling paralyzed; I was unable to film or create. But when young musicians, between air raids and terrifying news from the frontlines, began to create incredible music—blending jazz with electro, rap, and funk - I overcame my pain and started filming again. That's how LOUDER THAN BOMBS was born—a documentary about the will to live, and the power of creativity, resilience, youth and music in Ukraine.

I'm Marc Wilkins, a Swiss filmmaker. One of my last films, BON VOYAGE, was shortlisted for the 89th Academy Awards, a project that was also successfully crowdfunded.

To continue shooting, we need your help.

I partnered with great producers in Switzerland (Sophia Rubischung with Filmgerberei), France and the UK (Raissa Bottermann and Delphine Jaudeau with Doggerland), who are currently introducing LOUDER THAN BOMBS to broadcasters and public funding institutions.  But it takes time, and the war does not wait for us to finance this film in conventional ways only. Some of my protagonists are on the frontlines, some just have been conscripted. Every night we are attacked by drones and missiles. We don't have time, we need to continue filming now, with your help.

Your donations will go directly into the filming process. We will pay the crew, rent equipment and finance transportation and food. 

With every contribution, you will become a "producer" of Louder Than Bombs and help us to tell the world, how creativity, youth and resilience is winning over death and destruction.

SHORT STORYLINE

Louder Than Bombs follows the story of a group of musicians from Fusion Jams, a staple of Kyiv’s underground scene, as they navigate the life-shattering consequences of the Russian invasion. Faced with the hardships of everyday life at war, they are found at night in the Ukrainian capital’s clubs, dancing, creating music, and falling in and out of love. They are living furiously while they can in a country under siege, united by their passion for art and an unwavering determination to fight for freedom. 

With their alternative styles and new sound, they look just like the cool kids that can be found searching for their paths into adulthood in New York, London or Berlin. Except theirs has been forever altered by war, as they are forced to wrestle with the toughest decisions of all: to fight or to flee. This feature documentary follows their extraordinary trajectories and sheds a unique light on a war that has been all over our front pages for the last two and a half years. 

One of the artists has just received his call-up order to join the army and will soon have to decide whether to swap his instruments for weapons and put his life on the line. Meanwhile, jazz musician Anna mourns her first love, who was killed in battle. She tries to find solace in the entrancing sound of her bandura – a medieval guitar harp that is the symbol of Ukrainian music. Andrii, a saxophonist, feverishly creates as many songs as possible before he too might be drafted to the front lines. Conscription age has just been lowered from 27 to 25 years old and it’s unlikely to stop there. Andrii only has a year or so before he is asked to risk his life on the battlefield. Misha, a successful drummer of international renown, channels his rage against the oppressor into fierce music performances.

Together they organize charity concerts, auction old instruments, and tour abroad to raise money for the army and support soldiers like Danylo, a composer turned commander. With his drone regiment, Danylo shoots down Russian tanks during the day and makes music at night, using the keyboards he brought to the frontlines to cope with the horrors of war. 

But not all of them choose to face the enemy on the battlefield. Some like Mykhailo, decided to leave their country. Mykhailo does not want to kill. Nor does he want to die. So he took advantage of a European tour to settle in Lisbon. But the guilt he feels and the anger he faces daily on social media from fellow Ukrainian artists and old friends are starting to take a toll. Mykhailo might never set foot in his country again – unless he is ready to face martial law. Homesick, he writes songs in Ukrainian to soothe his exile. 

What are you ready to fight for?

It’s about rebel artists, dreamers, and the power of art to transcend reality at its bleakest, as much as it is about violence, identity and freedom. Through the intimate portrait of this group of creative youth facing matters of life and death as they reach adulthood, this documentary takes viewers on a powerful and inspiring emotional journey, asking to each and everyone of us: what would you do if you were in their shoes? What are you ready to fight for? By doing so it also celebrates our humanity, creativity and resilience, and reminds us that no matter how grave the threat, our desire to create is always stronger than fear. 

CREATIVE VISION

Through personal- and news-archive, smartphone-videos, interviews and present-day vérité footage, this ensemble film follows our protagonists’ journeys over a couple of years, starting at an electrifying Fusion Jam performance at the height of the Russian aggression where Anton, Andrii, Anna and Misha improvise together. Following their day-to-day reality at war, the film will offer a deep dive into contemporary Ukrainian culture – and reveal the conflict and the country as they’ve never been seen before. 

This is a film about war but also about music, and the latter will play a dynamic role in the storytelling. Songs specially created by our heroes will drive the narrative and create  a powerful soundtrack to our film. Their compositions will touch on key themes and moments of their lives like revolution, cultural renaissance, anger, grief but also resilience, courage and hope. 

THE MUSIC

The film will be structured into seven chapters, seven themes, which will be turned into seven songs, performed by our protagonists. You can explore the sound of the Fusion community here: https://soundcloud.com/fusion-jams-848770314/se...

DIRECTOR 

“I want to document the inspiring, strong, but also utterly vulnerable people I have met here in Ukraine. Their fear and courage, but above all, their incredibly powerful music and enduring resilience, to share it with our audience.” 

Marc Wilkins is an award-winning Swiss-British feature film director and writer. He lives in Kyiv with his family. Marc has been directing fiction and commercials for the past two decades. His work has garnered international critical acclaim, including a Cannes Lion Award. 

His short film BON VOYAGE won 42 awards around the world and was shortlisted for the 89th Academy Awards. 

Marc attended his first Fusion Jam in 2020 at the Ukrainian House – formerly the House of Lenin, a striking brutalist building in the heart of Kyiv.
The echoes of the contemporary jazz concert celebrating freedom, curiosity and rebellion in this former soviet landmark left an indelible impression on him. Marc started following these young artists, fascinated by the emergence of their unique artistic voices after years of repression and confusion, and has become an active member of their creative community. Following the full-scale invasion in 2022, he started developing and making this documentary.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

Spread the word, share this crowdfunding campaign with everyone you know.

Thank you, see you at the premiere of LOUDER THAN BOMBS and heartfelt greetings from Kyiv.

Marc and The Crew