She Stands in the Middle of the Battlefield

Polish director Magda Szpecht follows this very Ukrainian woman as she returns from exile, takes the military oath, and serves as a soldier on the front lines. Based on letters, voice messages, group chats, videos, and research material, a multifaceted portrait of a soldier's daily life in war emerges.

At the heart of this solo performance is the war from a female perspective: the daily struggle for equality, the confrontation with patriarchal structures, and the reality of a growing presence of women in the Ukrainian army. Without glorifying women, the work presents the concrete, personal experience of war—with its contradictions and ambivalences—and poses the question of what it means not only to uphold one's values but to defend them under extreme conditions.

With “She Stands in the Middle of the Battlefield,” Magda Szpecht continues her artistic exploration of the war against Ukraine, an engagement she has been pursuing since 2022. Following the performative lecture “Cyber Elf” (2022), which addressed Russian disinformation and digital activism against it, and the performance “Spy Girls” (2024), which used online research methods on dating apps to gather information from Russian soldiers, this project also operates at the intersection of theater, journalism, and investigative practice.

Following the performance on February 24, a discussion entitled “Ukrainian Women on the Battlefield: Equality in Times of War?” will take place, focusing on women and war in Ukraine. The discussion will feature director Magda Szpecht and Ukrainian essayist and translator Kateryna Mishchenko, moderated by journalist Sabine Adler (Deutschlandfunk).


“One can speak beautifully, sitting in a warm theater hall and creating a melodramatic episode that touches on important issues and leads to profound reflections on the universe but if you live out your values in practice, sooner or later you’ll probably become a volunteer – or maybe even a soldier.” (Quote from “She Stands in the Middle of the Battlefield”)


(English / with German and English surtitles / Polish)