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Set in Bucha, Ukraine, the Storyville documentary "Rebuilding Bucha" looks at what happens after the news crews leave. Filmed over three years, it begins at what the BBC calls “zero hour”: the first day survivors emerged from hiding, and the true scale of the war crimes started to come into view.
You can watch "Rebuilding Bucha" online from anywhere with a VPN – and potentially for free.
"Rebuilding Bucha" premiered on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, as part of BBC Storyville.
• WATCH FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
From there, the film stays close to a handful of residents as they try to stitch daily life back together while the wider war grinds on.
The focus is personal rather than political. You sit with a newly married couple, a schoolgirl, a city official, and an elderly housewife, all circling the same question: how do you rebuild when the trauma hasn’t stopped?
It’s not an easy watch. The BBC listing comes with a warning for strong language and upsetting scenes, and that’s warranted. But if you want a grounded, human look at what recovery really means, this is essential viewing.
Below is how to stream "Rebuilding Bucha" online, plus how to watch from anywhere with a VPN if you are travelling outside the UK.
Watch 'Rebuilding Bucha' from anywhere
If you’re traveling and BBC iPlayer is blocked where you are, a VPN (virtual private network) can help you keep using your usual apps more securely by connecting back to your home country. You still need to follow each service’s terms and conditions and, for iPlayer, you must have a valid UK TV Licence.
We’ve tested many VPNs, and NordVPN is our top pick for streaming thanks to its speed, reliability, and broad device support. You can try it out risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Using a VPN is simple.
1. Install the VPN app on the device you’ll watch on. NordVPN is our pick.
2. Connect to a server in your home country. For example, choose a UK server to access BBC iPlayer while abroad.
3. Open your streaming app and play as normal.
How to watch 'Rebuilding Bucha' in the U.K.
You can stream "Rebuilding Bucha" on BBC iPlayer. It’s free to watch, but you need to be in the UK and have a valid TV Licence to use iPlayer legally.
If you’re temporarily outside the UK, you’ll probably need a VPN to reach BBC iPlayer just as you would at home. For that, we recommend NordVPN.
Is this a movie or a true story?
Yes. It’s a true story. This is a feature-length documentary that follows real people in real time, filmed over three years from the very first day of Bucha’s liberation. It isn’t a scripted drama, although a separate narrative film, simply titled "Bucha", was released around the same time.
Is there a prequel?
Yes. "Rebuilding Bucha" is a direct follow-up to the director’s 2022 film "When Spring Came to Bucha". The first documentary captured the immediate shock and aftermath of liberation; this one returns to the same community years later to follow its “fragile recovery.”
Where was it filmed?
Filming took place entirely on location in Bucha, Ukraine. The documentary focuses on the most heavily damaged residential streets and local schools — places that became powerful symbols of the city’s resistance and slow, determined recovery.
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