Kvedaravicius is best known for the 2016 documentary “Mariupolis,” which was a hit at the Berlin International Film Festival. The film takes place in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which was frequently occupied by Russian troops, even years before Russia formally invaded Ukraine. But rather than focus on Russia’s aggression, the film focused on telling small, human stories about ordinary people trying to continue living their lives in the midst of armed conflict.

In a 2016 interview with the Odessa Review, Kvedaravicius explained his artistic process for films like “Mariupolis,” saying that “the idea of ‘Mariupolis’ was to show the course of life during wartime — how regular people carry on with their everyday lives mere steps away from a war zone, gunshots, explosions and death. It is a film about the pricelessness of every second of life. It is not about war, but about life next to war and lived in spite of war.” Related Ukraine Government Compares Russian Invasion to ‘Die Hard’ in Social Media Video Ukrainian National Film Critics Circle Host Award Show in Underground Bunker Related Oscars 2023: Best International Feature Film Predictions The 225 Best Horror Movies of All Time
Kvedaravicius, who is Lithuanian, most recently made his scripted filmmaking debut on 2019’s “Parthenon,” which he directed and co-wrote. He was also known for directing the Chechen war documentary “Barzakh.” He said that the experience of filming in dangerous places like Chechnya was simply an unavoidable part of the filmmaking process that he did not lose much sleep over. “To me, filming is pleasurable, so I would say the process,” Kvedaravicius said. “My thoughts, my own approach to the subject becomes part of the message. In this case, that fear is inevitable. Violence is an inevitable part of reality. All of these things are an objective, inextricable part of our existence.” Kvedaravicius is not the first documentary filmmaker to be killed in the war in Ukraine. Last month, prominent journalist and documentary filmmaker Brent Renaud was killed while covering the conflict. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.