Sniper: The White Raven

War erupts in Donbas and Mykola, a quirky, steadfast pacifist, discovers that his dream of usefulness is under siege by the harsh reality around him. The invasion shatters his home and takes his pregnant wife, leaving him with a grief so loud it drowns out every comforting belief he once held. In a bid to belong to something larger than his own conscience, he enlists with a sniper unit, trading his peaceful ideal for the grind of reconnaissance and distant shots. The new life strains his temperament and forces him to face consequences he never anticipated. As the fighting rages, Mykola wrestles with violence and the moral toll it exacts on a man who started out hoping to help humanity.

Directed by Marian Bushan, the film arrived in 2022 and is built around an original story by Mykola Voronin. Its modest budget of about 1 million dollars underlines intimate approach to war drama, anchored by Pavlo Aldoshyn and Maryna Koshkina.

Reception centers on the strain between pacifism and violence, with critics noting a restrained but tense portrayal of trauma. The film leans into character rather than spectacle, inviting reflection on how grief can push a principled person toward extreme actions. It holds a 7.63 score from 850 votes, inviting reflection.