Impact Statement

The Longer You Bleed follows a group of displaced Ukrainians in Berlin as they navigate the psychological toll of witnessing war through their smartphones. In an era where global conflict is increasingly mediated through screens, The Longer You Bleed explores the emotional detachment and compassion fatigue that result from constant exposure to traumatic imagery. Blending observational intimacy with experimental visual language, it reveals how war, when rendered into content, numbs both victims and viewers. The impact campaign uses screenings, educational partnerships, and media engagement to spark critical dialogue about emotional resilience, digital ethics, and media literacy. Its goal is to empower everyone to engage with online suffering more intentionally and humanely.

Short Synopsis

This personal documentary follows displaced Ukrainians in Berlin as they contend with the traumatic absurdity of watching their homeland burn in real time through pixels on Instagram. Shot over a year, it blends observational storytelling with experimental sequences to explore how compassion fatigue arises when war becomes mere content.

Director’s Statement

I found myself standing between two worlds: one where my Ukrainian partner and her friends were bombarded daily by images of war, and another where people remained untouched, scrolling past the suffering of strangers. Unable to find a channel connecting these realities, I created this film. It blends intimate observation with experimental visual language to reflect the fragmented experience of witnessing war through a phone screen. My hope is that one day, our connection to Ukraine is not defined by this invasion—but until then, I believe we must examine how digital witnessing shapes our humanity.

— Ewan Waddell