'See it with my own eyes': Canadian teen in war-torn Ukraine to film documentary

A Ukrainian-Canadian teenager is on an emotional journey to capture the destruction of the Russian invasion, including of his childhood home, on camera.

There were tearful goodbyes from Max Khomenko's friends and family as they watched him head off to Ukraine's capital, a dangerous destination due to frequent air bombings from Russia.

The 19-year-old who lives in Winnipeg is a filmmaker and has set out to document the realities of the war in his homeland. The project is called "Stand Free or Submit," and will follow the story of Yaroslava, a young Ukrainian who continues her life in Kyiv amid the war.

Khomenko’s trip was planned for more than a year and is a project he holds dear.

"The day after the war started, I couldn't control myself. There were so many emotions and feelings that were going on inside my head and frankly, I didn't know how to communicate that," Khomenko told CTVNews.ca in an interview. "I realized that the best way for me to communicate and display my emotions was to turn that into my passion of filmmaking."

The Ukrainian-Canadian is the first member of his family born outside of Ukraine, which has driven him to learn more about his heritage and help others understand the impact the war is having on Ukrainians around the world.

Khomenko discovered filmmaking at the age of 15, and headed to Vancouver Film School in 2021 for a year-long program. Around the time of his graduation, Russia invaded Ukraine.

Khomenko spoke to CTVNews.ca 36 hours before he left for Kyiv, one of the hardest-hit cities in Ukraine.