The Vertep
a short film by elina Alem kent
This is not a war story. This is what comes after—and how we dream through the wreckage.
What does it mean to perform when the world has collapsed? To turn war zones, bullet-ridden walls into spaces of song and dance, of folklore and wonder?
In the aftermath of Russia’s occupation, a collective of young Ukrainian artists embarks on a journey through liberated towns, transforming the ruins of war into vibrant stages of music, folklore, and resistance.
Drawing from the ancient tradition of Vertep, they reclaim the narrative of their culture, turning pain into art and rewriting the story of their land.
This film is not a chronicle of war—it’s an act of world-making, a celebration of resilience, and a defiant act of reasserting identity in the face of erasure.
“Truth is not in the facts, but in the telling.”
- Toni Morrison
“Beauty always takes place in the particular.”
- Elaine Scarry
A collaboration between Alem Kent, Vertep to the East, and Lesya Kvarterynka.
Vertep to the East
A group of young proactive Ukrainians who travel to Eastern Ukraine in the winter with Vertep, a tradition sharing stories, music, and laughter, a unifying symbol of courage and an enduring testament to the resilience of our heritage and spirit.
Established in 2019, we continued our work after eastern territories were liberated from occupying Russian forces in late 2022.
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Lesya Kvarterynka
An independent Ukrainian arts and music festival and community held in Kyiv since 2021. It originated in the backstreets of the Podil district and gradually evolved into a local festival.
LesyaKva has adapted its format to wartime conditions and raises funds to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces and related initiatives.
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Alem Kent is a Crimean Tatar-American documentary filmmaker and interdisciplinary artist whose work explores displacement, memory, and resistance. Formerly a journalist and co-founder of The Kyiv Independent, they now create poetic nonfiction films that foreground cultural ritual and personal narrative amid political upheaval.
Their films have been shaped by time spent in Ukraine and by their Crimean Tatar heritage, often examining the emotional terrain of exile and identity.
Director, Cinematographer, EditorProduced by Sound Recordist ColoristPost-Production Sound Services byRe-Recording MixerMix Technician
Alem KentSofia Stærmose HardtKateryna BosyachenkoBohdan PryhodkoIvanka LishchukAnastasiia MozghovaRobert ArnoldSkywalker Sound a Lucasfilm Ltd. Company Marin County, CaliforniaBonnie WildDorothy Hyunjung Lee
Produced in theM.F.A. in Documentary Film ProgramDepartment of Art & Art HistoryStanford Universitydonate
We are still fundraising for our friends on the frontlines. Please consider donating through Kent:paypal: e.alem.kent@gmail.comvenmo : elina-alem