{"id":121979,"date":"2026-02-24T11:03:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=121979"},"modified":"2026-02-24T19:25:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T00:25:01","slug":"feature-daughters-donbas-release-debut-album-coincide-premiere-documentary-film-4-5-0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/02\/24\/feature-daughters-donbas-release-debut-album-coincide-premiere-documentary-film-4-5-0\/","title":{"rendered":"FEATURE | Daughters Of Donbas Release Debut Album To Coincide With Premiere Of Documentary Film 4.5.0."},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_121983\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121983\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121983\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-FEATURE-28.jpg\" alt=\"The Daughters of Donbas on European tour: Front Marichka, Back Miriam Pancheva, Charlee Wielgoz, Lisa, Mariya Gurakova, Alina Kuzma, Lilia Collier-Smith, Dan Rosenberg, Zoe Eoz, (Photo: Tania Smyk)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-FEATURE-28.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-FEATURE-28-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-FEATURE-28-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-FEATURE-28-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121983\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Daughters of Donbas London, UK on tour: Front Marichka, Back Miriam Pancheva, Charlee Wielgoz, Lisa, Mariya Gurakova, Alina Kuzma, Lilia Collier-Smith, Dan Rosenberg, Zoe Eoz, (Photo: Tania Smyk)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On February 20, an event launched both the album Daughters of Donbas: Songs of Stolen Children, and the documentary film Code 4.5.0. Both projects are inextricably linked; <strong>Marichka<\/strong>, leader and composer for Daughters, is the protagonist of the film by director <strong>Olena Tumanska<\/strong>\/ECG Productions.<\/p>\n<p>Marichka, a Ukrainian-Canadian, is a musician, activist, war correspondent, and battlefield medic. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/07\/08\/interview-singer-musician-marichka-talks-daughters-donbas-life-war-correspondent-ukraine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2025 interview with LV<\/a>, she talked about dividing her time between creating music in Canada and traveling embedded with a Ukrainian tank battalion on the battlefield, documenting the lives of the soldiers, and bringing a sense of humanity to the conflict. She also acts as a field medic.<\/p>\n<p>Daughters of Donbas: Songs of Stolen Children, takes its name from the documented practice of kidnapping children from their Ukrainian parents perpetrated by Russian forces. It\u2019s estimated that about 20,000 children have been taken to Russia from Eastern Ukraine since the conflict began. They\u2019re taken to so-called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/2021-2025.state.gov\/russias-filtration-operations-and-forced-relocations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filtration camps<\/a>\u201d with the goal of eliminating their resistance to Russian rule.<\/p>\n<p>The ensemble just got back from a trip through Europe and the UK, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KpUkj4M6_bk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">their guest on tour<\/a> (known only as Lisa) was one of the few Ukrainian kids who managed to escape from Russia.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gzhQzgLyp4E?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Code 4.5.0.<\/h3>\n<p>As director <strong>Olena Tumanska<\/strong> mentioned prior to the film screening, \u201cSome of the people [in the film] are no longer alive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Marichka is the heart of much of the film, beginning with packing for a trip to Ukraine. She talks about some of the items she\u2019s putting into her suitcase, including a belt that was a memento from one of the soldiers, and her work there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy mission is to help those that acted, to show that there is another side to war.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One of the things she packs is a series of hoodies. The sleeves are embroidered with traditional Ukrainian designs, and they\u2019re sewn into knit fabric hoodies. Another is jewelry crafted with gemstones and spent bullets from the Donbas region.<\/p>\n<p>We meet the artisans later in the film, both of them trying to create meaning from living in a war zone.<\/p>\n<p>She talks about folk psalms, a type of traditional piece that is often sung a cappella. They blend spirituality from the Book of Psalms with Orthodox theology, folk melodies, and themes that often revolve around disaster and rescue. They are often sung at funerals and other solemn events. In the film, Marichka relates that she and a group of women began singing folk psalms in Ukraine, bringing tears to the eyes of a military commander. He then refused to bring the group into the combat zone, insisting they stay behind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is what we are fighting for,\u201d he told them.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121984\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121984\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121984\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-02-23T172338.029.jpg\" alt=\"L: Daughters of Donbas: Songs of Stolen Children album cover (Photo courtesy of Daughters of Donbas); Marichka at the album release, February 20, 2026 at Tranzac (Photo courtesy of the artist)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-02-23T172338.029.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-02-23T172338.029-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-02-23T172338.029-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-02-23T172338.029-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121984\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L: Daughters of Donbas: Songs of Stolen Children album cover (Photo courtesy of Daughters of Donbas); Marichka at the album release, February 20, 2026 at Tranzac (Photo: Dan Rosenberg)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Marichka talks to the soldiers as she films, and they talk about their experiences, including losing war comrades to shells and bullets. They also joke.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always dreamed about riding a tank,\u201d one says. \u201cI didn\u2019t know I\u2019d have to fix them too!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another calls his girlfriend three times a day.<\/p>\n<p>The soldiers become vulnerable young men, and Marichka joins them as they travel, during downtime, and as they take shelter from shots and shells.<\/p>\n<p>When we meet the jewelry maker, he explains that people send him spent shells from all over the region. He works together with his wife, and the couple raise their children in midst of the uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaking good from evil,\u201d he says. \u201cYou have to do the best with what\u2019s available to you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Resilience emerges as a theme that runs throughout the documentary.<\/p>\n<p>4.5.0. as the film explains, is the military code used when everything\u2019s fine, no casualties or deaths reported. It\u2019s the message you hope for when the radio buzzes.<\/p>\n<p>Marichka returns to Canada, navigating the ups and downs of her own life with a new perspective. Her own troubles pale in comparison to those she\u2019s witnessed; she stays in contact with the soldiers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121985\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121985\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121985\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Daughters-of-Donbas-ScarboroughFolkFest-474.jpeg\" alt=\"The Daughters of Donbas at the Scarborough Folk Festival 2025 (Photo courtesy of the artists)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Daughters-of-Donbas-ScarboroughFolkFest-474.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Daughters-of-Donbas-ScarboroughFolkFest-474-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Daughters-of-Donbas-ScarboroughFolkFest-474-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Daughters-of-Donbas-ScarboroughFolkFest-474-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121985\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Daughters of Donbas at the Scarborough Folk Festival 2025 (Photo courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The embroidery artist is a Hutsul, an ethnic group within what is now Ukraine, and was very briefly its own republic following WWI. He had no plans to work in any kind of fashion industry; today he employs some of the many refugees who\u2019ve flooded the mountainous region.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think most of all, we\u2019re fighting for who we are. Because, if we are conquered, then who will we be?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Visually, the film juxtaposes the realities of being shot at, and industrial landscapes like train stations and city streets, with the rural landscape of Western Ukraine in what looks like late summer and early autumn. The tanks roll through fields of pretty wild flowers. Children play on concrete next to destroyed houses.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dXF9ZkMeI-U?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Daughters of Donbas: Songs of Stolen Children<\/h3>\n<p>The music from the album enters into the film. Marichka was writing songs as she traveled around Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>She is a trained pianist, and incorporates a string quartet into her band. The music is imbued with distinctive Ukrainian elements and harmonies, often in minor keys. It\u2019s haunting, though sometimes hopeful. Producer <strong>Daniel Rosenberg<\/strong> mentioned that, on their recent tour, one of the group mentioned that their voices can be weapons.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s what ordinary people can do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy perception of life changed significantly,\u201d Marichka noted.<\/p>\n<p>Along with Marichka and the string quartet, <strong>Alina Kuzma<\/strong> (vocals and bandora, a stringed instrument), and singer <strong>Zoe Santo<\/strong> took the stage.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the songs are traditional folk tunes, like the 1000-year old song about mermaids, or Rusalka, epitomizing feminine strength. On some tracks, she\u2019s collaborated with contemporary Ukrainian poet <strong>Izdryk<\/strong>. Marichka\u2019s own compositions often deal directly with the stories she encountered \u2014 like that of the father who persevered until he found the three children the Russian soldiers had taken from him. She wrote the song Remember, I Believe In You for them.<\/p>\n<p>Musically, she incorporates sophisticated writing for strings, including non-traditional techniques for sound effects, and lush two- and three-part vocal harmonies. Some use time honoured traditional vocal techniques.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RBQ2C2k1LMA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s beautiful music with a message.<\/p>\n<h3>Next Steps<\/h3>\n<p>From Toronto, the Daughters of Donbas appeared at in Vancouver at the Rogue Folk Club on Feb 22 and they\u2019ll be in Tokyo on March 2. From there, they will head to WOMADelaide in Australia from March 6-9, and they have been invited to present the program in The Hague in April, 2026.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find <strong>Daughters of Donbas: Songs of Stolen Children<\/strong> on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/music.apple.com\/us\/artist\/daughters-of-donbas\/1818246793\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple here<\/a><\/strong>, and on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/4XutP60rvVRJcfCZm9p636\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spotify here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a;\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? 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Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On February 20, an event launched both the album Daughters of Donbas: Songs of Stolen Children, and the documentary film Code 4.5.0.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":121983,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42533,18,19,4967,23,41373,51,63,72,73],"tags":[42690,1062,42092],"yst_prominent_words":[7720,12167],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-FEATURE-28.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-vJp","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121979"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121979"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":122019,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121979\/revisions\/122019"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121979"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=121979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}