The premiere of the “Fight for Light” film in Dnipro: the stories of Ukrainian heroes’ fight against rf’s energy terror

For the third year in a row, energy workers of DTEK Dnipro Grids have been repairing lines and equipment, damaged by shelling. Over the course of more than a thousand days of war, they restored operation of 2,650 power lines and nearly 140 substations and other electrical infrastructure facilities that suffered destruction due to enemy strikes. Some of them had to be repaired dozens of times in the extremely difficult conditions.

“Every day, energy workers are doing everything to provide electricity, despite the danger. “Fight for Light” is a documentary about those, who stand between light and darkness, between destruction and hope. This is a fight for life that we have to win,” – underscored Anton Dralov, head of the high-voltage grids operation department at DTEK Dnipro Grids.

The film tells about real heroes, who work in the dangerous conditions, providing heat and light to millions of Ukrainians, including soldiers of air-defense, rescuers and energy workers. A special place in the film is given to the story of the rescuer from Dnipro, who together with his unit was subjected to a targeted rf’s strike in the airport, when they were dismantling rubble after the missile attack.

“This film tells about the fight for light and heat in our homes. As a rescuer, I personally see terrible consequences of strikes on the power facilities and every time I wonder, how energy workers find a way to restore electricity every time. For me, it is an honor to tell about our joint work,” – says rescuer Ihor Hetalo.
The film highlights events that began in October 2022, when Ukraine suffered massive attacks on the facilities of the fuel and energy sector.

“Dnipropetrovsk region is one of the regions, suffering from missile and drone attacks perhaps the most. However, thanks to rescuers, defenders of the sky and energy workers, who are doing the impossible every day, we have electricity, our hospitals, schools  and enterprises are working. I am grateful to the creative crew of the film for showing this heroic struggle to the world,” – noted the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Administration Mykola Lukashuk.

The authors traveled 20,000 kilometers to film unique footage, at the secret facilities in particular. Among the heroes are the Air Force commanders of the anti-aircraft defense systems, the combatants, holding the record for the number of destroyed missiles and Shaheds, and military pilots. One of the episodes tells about DTEK employees, who remained at the thermal power plant during the strikes to prevent the disaster.

“In our work, we wanted to thank the heroes, who fight for light, and honor the memory of the dead. No film can do justice to the scale of work performed by the defenders of the sky, rescuers and energy workers. But it is important for everyone to understand the price paid for electricity in the conditions of russian energy terror,” – noted director Vasyl Kyivskyi.

World boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk starred in the film, supporting the heroes and their stories. Messages from Tina Karol, Artem Pyvovarov, Kseniia Mishyna, Dasha Kvitkova and Yaroslava Mahuchykh also appeared in the feature. They thanked the defenders for their daily fight for peaceful sky, safety and electricity.

Before the premiere, designer Elvira Hasanova presented limited collection of clothing with an illustration by Dartsya Zironka that displays soldiers of the air-defense, rescuers and energy workers.

Menorah Center in cooperation with “INSPIRA” business club helped arrange the exhibit in Dnipro within the framework of the project “Mobilization of the intellectual potential”. The all-Ukrainian premier of “Fight for Light” will take place in December on the Megogo and Kyivstar TV platforms, and on the air of the national telethon.