How does one fight for the gold when an endless war has taken away a generation of competitors and destroyed their facilities? Meet the dwindling number of Ukrainian athletes as they prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, while trying to survive Russia’s violent invasion of their country. The war in Ukraine is seen through a unique lens in ATHLETES OF WAR, a tribute to both the determination within all athletes and the plight for Ukrainian liberation from Russian forces. This documentary views the war through the experiences of Olympic athletes and their families. Theirs was a mission of honoring their country in sport, and when the invasion began, their duty to the country came into further focus. But when the International Olympic Committee announced they would permit Russian athletes to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Ukrainian athletes found renewed purpose in showing the world Ukraine’s refusal to submit to Russian domination or the emotional wounds of war, delivering a story of resilience on a global scale. —C.F.
