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Deep Dive: Babi Yar. Context (2021)

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Babi Yar. Context
Babi Yar. Context is a documentary that examines the massacre of nearly 34,000 Jews at Babi Yar in Kyiv, Ukraine, in September 1941, during World War II. Directed by Sergei Loznitsa, the film incorporates rare archival footage from German and Soviet sources, including home movies and footage shot for propaganda purposes. It also features testimonies from a 1946 Soviet trial of the perpetrators, providing a historical context to the events surrounding the massacre. The film presents the background of the Nazi Einsatzgruppen killing squads and their collaboration with local Ukrainian forces, leading to the mass execution at Babi Yar. It also addresses the lack of memorialization for decades, with industrial waste filling the ravine in the 1950s. Loznitsa's personal connection to the site, having grown up nearby, adds a layer of emotional depth to the narrative as he reflects on the historical silence surrounding the events.

Why Watch

  • •See rare archival footage from WWII.
  • •Meet survivors and perpetrators in trial testimonies.
  • •Find out about the historical context of Babi Yar.

Did You Know

•33,771 Jews were killed at Babi Yar on September 29-30, 1941.
•An estimated 100,000 people were killed at Babi Yar between 1941 and 1943.
•The documentary includes footage from a 1946 Soviet trial of the massacre's perpetrators.
•The film won the Golden Eye award at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

Perfect For

Holocaust studiesWorld War II historyUkrainian history