Тризуб Нептуна (2010)

Neptune's Trident

The empire falls.
The sea remains.

In the turmoil of the First World War, the Russian Empire collapsed. After the Revolution of 1917, the great powers — Britain, France, Germany, Soviet Russia, and Austria-Hungary — competed for control of the Black Sea Fleet. Battleships, cruisers, and destroyers became objects of geopolitical struggle, for whoever controlled the fleet controlled the Black Sea.

But in Sevastopol, another force emerged.

The Ukrainian community, which had previously acted cautiously, came out of the shadows. Mass assemblies of sailors and soldiers openly declaring themselves Ukrainian surprised many contemporaries. By the spring of 1917, the Ukrainian movement within the fleet had gained decisive influence. It was no longer only about symbols — it was about shaping a national naval future.

April 29, 1918 became the Day of the Fleet of the Ukrainian People’s Republic..
On that day, the Ukrainian flag was raised over the ships of the Black Sea Fleet.

It was an attempt to create a fleet of their own.
It was a choice.

"Neptun’s Trident" is a documentary film about the Ukrainian struggle for the Black Sea Fleet and about the events of 1917–1918 that were nearly erased from historical memory for decades.

Running time: 18 minutes
Language: Ukrainian
Subtitles: English, Polish

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Updated Version 2025

In 2025, Neptun’s Trident was revised to incorporate newly discovered archival materials and modern technical capabilities, allowing for a more precise reconstruction of the events of the Ukrainian Revolution within the Black Sea Fleet during 1917–1918.

The updated edition includes:

Two previously unused archival photographs of the Green Holidays celebrations in Sevastopol in 1917, capturing the atmosphere of the growing Ukrainian movement among sailors.
Newly discovered archival footage of Black Sea Fleet warships from the First World War period — the very ships that later raised the Ukrainian flag on April 29, 1918.
Fully re-rendered graphics in higher resolution.
A complete remaster in 50 frames per second (50 fps), providing smoother motion and improved visual clarity.

The inclusion of archival footage of the Black Sea Fleet of 1918 is particularly significant. During the original production of the film in 2009–2010, such materials were largely unavailable in Ukrainian archives. The search for and identification of relevant footage became a separate stage of historical research into the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the formation of the Ukrainian fleet in Sevastopol.

The updated version therefore allows viewers to better understand the scale of the events of April 29, 1918 — the day that became the Day of the Fleet of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and a defining moment in the history of the Ukrainian Navy.

While preserving the structure of the original 2010 film, this edition presents the material in modern visual quality, enhanced by newly incorporated historical sources.

About the film

Work on the film began in mid-2009 and was completed in 2010.

The documentary received a special award at the “Kinolev 2010” film festival..

The film combines archival materials, newly discovered visual sources, historical reconstruction, and documentary testimony related to the events of the Ukrainian Revolution within the Black Sea Fleet.

Historical Context

Before the First World War, the Black Sea Fleet was a key naval power in the region and an important instrument of imperial policy.

After the revolutionary upheavals of 1917, the question of the fleet’s loyalty and future became central. Ukrainian naval circles in Sevastopol began to act openly, developing a vision of a national fleet aligned with the Ukrainian People’s Republic.

The raising of the Ukrainian flag over the ships on April 29, 1918 became the culmination of this movement.

A detailed historical background on the events of 1917–1918 is available on a separate website dedicated to the history of the Ukrainian Navy.

▶ ▶ Read the historical background

Screenings

The premiere of the documentary Neptun’s Trident took place on September 26, 2010, at the Astronomical Observatory of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Story about the presentation in Kyiv

On October 16, 2010, a presentation was held in Sevastopol.

The updated version of the film was presented in Kyiv in 2026.

During the screenings, historians, naval officers, and representatives of the Ukrainian officers’ community delivered remarks and participated in discussions.