On Volunteer Day — screening of an Irpin documentary

In Irpin’s veterans’ space, the film “Call Sign ‘Writer’” was presented, reconstructing the events of the city’s defense in February–March 2022. The screening coincided with Volunteer Day: the choice of date underscores the role of civic resistance in the initial phase of the full‑scale invasion.

About the film

The 90‑minute film recreates the chronology from the first minutes of the attack to the liberation of Irpin. The film shows the attack on the Hostomel airfield, the first volunteer headquarters in the House of Writers’ Creativity, the battle near the Hostomel bridge on February 25, and the stories of the legendary checkpoints — “Zhiraf” (Giraffe), “Karavan‑Gala”, “Synergia” (Synergy) and “Vodokanal” (Water Utility).

The film was produced by the “Golfstream Production” team with the support of the State Film Agency of Ukraine.

Testimony — more than 60 voices

More than 60 participants — defenders, volunteers, administrators, and members of the coordination headquarters — share their memories in the film. Among the interviews are the unique final testimonies of Pavlo Pomysov‑Nesmyian, a defender of Irpin who was killed at the front in 2025. These recordings carry both emotional and documentary weight for future reconstructions of events.

“The idea to make such a film came to me and Mykhailo Haidai back when we liberated Irpin. In the 20s of March 2022, in Novobilychi, at the Irpin Territorial Defense headquarters. I want to show that from the first day the Armed Forces of Ukraine were not here. The National Guard of Ukraine fled to Kyiv on February 24; those left were the defenders themselves — ordinary people of Irpin,”

— Serhiy Martyniuk, screenwriter and participant of the Irpin Territorial Defense

The project team is not only filmmakers: many members of the film crew themselves were involved in the city’s defense in February 2022. For example, line producer Valentyn Shevtsov helped set up the first checkpoint in the Synergia neighborhood on the second day of the invasion.

Why it matters

The film functions as testimony: it gathers local narratives that might otherwise be lost. In the short historical perspective, such recordings help restore the sequence of events; in the longer term, they shape collective memory and provide material for journalists, historians and human rights researchers. Support from the State Film Agency gives the project an institutional dimension — it is not only a local initiative but a cultural product of national significance.

Where to watch

The screening in the veterans’ space was only one of the presentations. You can watch the film via the link here. For journalists and researchers, such films are a source of primary testimony that should be documented and preserved.

Brief summary: “Call Sign ‘Writer’” is not only a film about the battles for Irpin. It is an archive of the voices of people who, in the first days of the invasion, became the city’s support. At a time when memories shape the politics of remembrance, such testimonies are of primary importance.