About

UKRAINIAN SHORT FILMS

Two programmes of recent short films made by Ukrainian filmmakers, at home and abroad. Curated by Sasha Prokopenko, Head of Programming, and Olga Gusiatynska, Programmer, Kyiv International Short Film Festival.

PROGRAMME 2: Ukraine. Displaced (95 mins.)

Part of CINECITY film festival 2024

Over six million Ukrainian refugees have been recorded globally, and almost five million people have been displaced internally within Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war, making it the largest displacement crisis since the Second World War. The films of this programme delve into the emotional landscapes of those forced to flee the ravages of war, capturing the essence of starting anew against one’s will, and the challenges of adapting to a new reality while preserving one’s roots.

Ukrainian with English subtitles

Smoke of the Fire Dir: Daryna Mamaisur. Ukraine, Portugal 2023. 22 mins.

A Ukrainian film-maker who has taken refuge in Portugal is patiently learning Portuguese. Between languages, between images from here and those from a country at war, a voice tries to put into words the state of exile.

Waking Up in Silence Dir: Mila Zhluktenko, Daniel Asadi Faezi. Ukraine, Germany 2023. 18 mins. Ukrainian children are confronted with their past as they explore their new home in Germany: a former military barracks. They ride bicycles, make wreaths of wild flowers and explore the empty rooms and corridors. In their games, they discover military symbols from the past and link them to their own experiences and hopes.

In Paris No One Thinks About Tomorrow Dir: Andrii Kokura. Ukraine, France 2023. 14 mins. Alissa is a Ukrainian model who has taken refuge in Paris. Having just lost someone close to her, she finally gets her first contract for a fashion show. Traumatized by war and exile, Alissa seems indifferent to everything around her, and now seeks only one thing: harmony.

Guests From Kharkiv Dir: Halyna Lavrinets. Ukraine 2023. 17 mins.

Nelia is the owner of a folk museum in a village the Poltava region. She and her husband Oleksandr shelter 15 refugees from Kharkiv in the museum and teach their new guests local dialect and traditions, and how to plant a vegetable garden to feed themselves.

As it Was Dir: Damian Kocur, Anastasiia Solonevych. Ukraine, Poland 2023. 15 mins.

Lera has been living in Berlin for almost a year since the outbreak of the war. One day she decides to go back to Kyiv. On her way, she finds out that her family is not in Kyiv and will arrive only the next day. She meets her friend Kyrylo, with whom she spends the day.

One Aloe, One Ficus, One Avocado and Six Dracaenas Dir: Marta

Smerechynska. Ukraine, France 2023. 8 mins. What to take, what to leave? How important are material possessions when you’re trying to save your life? Packages from Ukraine – filled with everything and nothing – wait patiently under a bridge to be found. Each item has a story, a memory that is being left behind.

This project is organised with the financial support of the UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme designed by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute.

Pay What You Decide

Pay What You Decide (PWYD) tickets are available for this event. These are limited to 20 tickets per performance, with a maximum of 2 tickets available per customer. Find out more.