Hey mate,
Firstly, I didn't use this project to build my career more than any of the other stories or reports I have done. My 'the Face of Donbas" project and my coverage of the 2020 Vienna terror attack had a much bigger effect on my work.
I don't think it's right to say I stole the film. I found it in a ghost town on the frontline, almost everything was abandoned. And, I was given permission by the commander responsible for the area to take it.
As far as the moral side of things. I don't really know myself. What I can say is that I found this film together with, and have been working on this project alongside a close friend who is Ukrainian.
>>3946073 She likes her prefers privacy a lot more than I do, so her name will only appear on the first exhibition/publication of the archive.
I'm not sure if you missed it from the article, but I have actually gotten in touch with some of those featured in the archive who used to live in the town. Everyone who has reached out to me so far was very thankful that I had rescued the film and told their story.
This said, this project is still a delicate topic, and I will omit some of the more personal images from the final collection. On top of this, I recognized long ago that journalism and reporting on the conflict doesn't do anything to help those there. So if I do make any money from this, it a good chunk of it will go directly to the ppl who still live in the town to buy them coal n food.
