Oh, Sister!: A documentary about Ukrainian Women's daily struggle for peace

In June 2022 three Nobel Peace Laureates - American anti-war activist Jody Williams, Yemeni human rights activist Tawakkol Karman, and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee - visited Krakow, Poland and Lviv, Ukraine. As part of this Nobel Women Initiative’s Delegation they met with hundreds of women displaced by war, and dozens of women’s organizations, human rights organizations, humanitarian agencies and activists fighting to keep life going and to restore peace.

Building on the laureates journey, the Nobel Women’s Initiative in partnership with United for Ukraine, the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt and other supporters, commissioned this documentary.

Ukrainian women across the country and outside are contributing to the survival of Ukrainians, each in their own way, every day.

The documentary tells the stories of:

Oleksandra Matviychuk is a Kyiv-based human rights lawyer and civil society leader. Oleksandra leads the non-profit organization The Center for Civil Liberties, which received the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. 

Alla Melnychuk is the head of Mother and Newborn- a charitable organization helping to save lives of infants with severe health issues. Since 24 February 2022, Alla has leveraged her network and expertise to rescue more than 400 badly wounded children.

Tata Kepler is a tactical medical volunteer supplying medical support to Ukrainian civilians and army on the frontlines, and in the de-occupied territories of Ukraine.

Natalia Kudrych and Nadia Zhmykovska are conductors for Ukrainian Railways. Both women kept working and evacuating people from the very beginning of the invasion. 

Lastivka used to be an artist, but is now a medical platoon leader on the front lines. 

"Oh, Sister" is a collective portrait of women who, through their activities, face the challenges of this inhumane war.

The film is supported by Nobel Women Initiative, BMW Foundation, and United for Ukraine.

Executive producer — Brian Kelly

Inspired by Marc Wilkins and Iryna Tsilyk

Directed by Hanna Kopylova

Director of photography — Jane Bondarenko

Produced by — 2332 films

Executive producer — Sasha Cherniavsky

Producer — Christina Prylip

About the laureates who took part in the delegation:

Jody Williams received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her work to ban antipersonnel landmines through the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). She is an outspoken peace activist who struggles to reclaim the real meaning of peace—a concept which goes far beyond the absence of armed conflict and is defined by human security, not national security. The Iron Woman of Yemen, Tawakkol Karman, defended the rights of the people of her country for many years, became an opponent of President Ali Abdullah Saleh fighting against outdated, unjust traditions suffocating women in Yemen. In 2011 she became the first Arab woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Tawakkol shared her award with Liberian Leymah Gbowee. In 2002, Leymah organized a grassroots women's movement for peace and took women's protest in her country to a whole new level. She gave voice to her compatriots.

The laureates and the heroines of Oh, Sister share the dedication, selflessness and courage of all women fighting for freedom, peace, justice and humanity in the context of war.