Hillary Clinton-Produced Ukraine Doc ‘The Cranes Call’ Gets Release on Gathr (Exclusive)
- The film follows war crimes investigator Anya Neistat and her team as they track down survivors of the Russian invasion of Ukraine who are standing against Russian commanders and soldiers accused of war crimes, including rape, torture, and murder.
The Cranes Call , a documentary on war crimes in Ukraine directed by Laura Warner and produced by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton's HiddenLight Productions , will go out worldwide via direct-to-consumer film and event platform Gathr, the producers unveiled Monday.
Warner and Hillary Clinton will present the documentary at the Cinema for Peace World Forum on Monday timed to the Gathr release.
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The doc, described as a "real-time crime thriller set in a war zone," follows war crimes investigator Anya Neistat and her team as they track down survivors of the Russian invasion of Ukraine who are courageous enough to stand against Russian commanders and soldiers accused of war crimes — including rape, torture and murder — against themselves and their families. Neistat is joined by Solomiia Stasiv, a young Ukrainian woman who had begun working in the field following the full-scale Russian invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
Evan Williams produced The Cranes Call , with HiddenLight's co-creative directors Siobhan Sinnerton and Amy Flanagan executive producing, together with Liev Schreiber.
"This special screening and global release of The Cranes Call could not be more timely," Hillary Clinton said in a statement. "The film brings to life the brutality of Vladimir Putin's aggression and the resolve of the Ukrainian people. It's a story told so richly that you will be convinced that Ukraine's fight is a fight for democracy itself, and it is therefore the fight of all freedom-loving people."
The film's release comes at a crucial moment in the war in Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as Washington pushes for a ceasefire in the region, so far without the agreement of Ukraine.
Speaking of the Gathr on-demand release, Sinnerton said she was "very happy that more people will get to see this film which documents so compellingly what the reality of the war in Ukraine is for people living there. The determination of our main characters not to let these crimes go unpunished feels more important to highlight now than at any time during the conflict."
An audience-on-demand platform, Gathr facilitates theatrical-on-demand screenings, virtual event cinemas, and other direct-to-consumer releases. The tech group has proven popular with activist and social issue documentaries, such as Stephen Maing and Brett Story's Union , which followed the efforts of a group of Amazon workers to unionize on Staten Island, New York.
"One of the biggest challenges for broadcasters is awareness and ensuring that a film stands out in a crowded landscape," said HiddenLight CEO Johnny Webb. "Cutting through the noise and reaching the right audience at the right time is crucial, and solutions like Gathr benefit both producer and broadcaster by building audience data, engaging viewers directly, and, most importantly, generating awareness ahead of the TV window. We're looking forward to extending the film to more buyers worldwide at this critical time."
The Cranes Call is being sold internationally, with WME representing North American rights and Sphere Abacus handling the rest of the world. British network Channel 4 commissioned the doc in association with Minderoo Pictures and Cinema for Peace. It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival last year.
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