In the fog of war, truth is often the first thing lost. The Cranes Call helps bring it back.
This powerful documentary follows war crimes investigator Anya Neistat as she works with survivors across Ukraine to document atrocities committed by Russian forces. But the film is not just about exposing what happened. It shows how justice is being pursued while the conflict is still unfolding.
When The Cranes Call premiered, it offered a rare glimpse into justice in motion, showing how accountability can begin even as war continues. Now, there’s an update on that pursuit: real progress is being made to prosecute those responsible.
Accountability does not begin in a courtroom. It starts with people. Survivors who are willing to speak. Investigators who are willing to act. And communities who are willing to listen.
Anya Neistat has investigated war crimes for more than two decades.
But this time, the survivors are not waiting years to share what happened. They are stepping forward now, determined to be heard.
As Anya said during a recent Q&A following the Sydney screening: “I think one of the worst things for victims of such atrocities is to feel that they are alone, that nobody cares.”
The Cranes Call helps ensure they are not alone.
Did you know?
The Cranes Call was selected for Tribeca Film Festival and Sheffield Film Festival, both top tier human rights festivals.
The documentary does more than tell stories. It is part of a broader legal effort to bring Russia’s military commanders to justice.
Anya and her team at InterJust are pursuing three major legal cases. These focus on rape, torture and detention of civilians, and the bombing of non-military targets. The goal is to use international law to issue arrest warrants for those responsible.
These legal tools, often referred to as Red Notices, would mean that those named can be arrested if they travel outside Russia. Their assets could also be frozen.
“We want to wait until they travel so that they can be apprehended... no matter where they go, they could be potentially arrested and handed over for prosecution.”
This is about applying pressure now, not in twenty years.
During the Sydney Q&A, Anya shared an update on how the work is progressing.
“I’ve been to Germany now twice, and we’ve been invited again to accompany the witnesses who are now being questioned by the German investigators so that they can continue with the prosecution.”
Alongside Germany and Austria, her team is preparing to file cases in other countries, including Australia.
“Australia has so-called absolute universal jurisdiction... and we are trying to reach out to Ukrainians here to help us advance this case.”
Importantly, the evidence in these cases has not been gathered years after the fact. It is being collected inside Ukraine, sometimes just days or weeks after the crimes occurred.
-Anya Neistat
The cases are real, and they are moving forward.
The Cranes Call is not just a documentary. It is part of an effort to ensure that those responsible are named, pursued and held to account. While the war continues, so does the fight for justice.
Get involved
The Cranes Call is available to stream for free on SBS On Demand.
If you would like to support the pursuit of justice or amplify the voices of survivors, here are some ways to get involved:
- Spread the word with #JusticeForSurvivors – Share the film and start the conversation.
- Check out InterJust – An independent organisation working on accountability for international crimes.
- Visit Truth Hounds – Ukrainian investigators documenting war crimes across Eastern Europe.