A selection of Ukrainian short films on current topics. Unfortunately, war is still the most important of them, there is no escape from it even in the field of art, especially film. However, the war is not the only topic for our Ukrainian neighbours. During the screening of Ukraine Today we will see how they see their country, themselves and their situation.

Nuance, dir. Marharyta Voronova, Oleh Kibalnyk (Ukraine) 2023, 21’, 15+

A Japanese delegation is to visit the Kyiv Film School. As part of the visit, the school plans to present directors’ short films. The dean considers one film to be offensive and pressures the staff not to let the director graduate. The artistic supervisor of the short film takes up the fight for the artistic freedom of the students.

Polish premiere.

Explosions Near the Museum, dir. Yarema Malashchuk (Ukraine) 2023, 14’, 16+

The Kherson Museum of Local Lore used to house one of Southern Ukraine’s largest and oldest collections of antiquities. The museum featured more than 173000 objects, spanning seven thousand years of history. Russian occupational forces enacted a strategic theft, stripping centuries of Ukrainian history from the museum in barely 3 days.

Film awarded at Ivano-Frankivsk ISFF 4:3 and Lviv ISFF Wiz-Art. Polish premiere.

Comma, dir. Sonia Leliukh (Ukraine) 2023, 4’, 15+

At a busy train station, a human with an ever-exploding head stumbles upon an old newspaper. This discovery opens a portal to a world of different stories, all intertwined by a shared theme: the war in Ukraine.

Film presented at e.g. San Francisco IFF and Tricky Women/Tricky Realities.

At Our Place, dir. Andrew Ostrikovskiy (Ukraine) 2024, 10’, 15+

Five childhood buddies are gathering to see their friend off before military training.

Film presented at e.g. Ukraine! FF.

Clear Sky, dir. Marcin Kundera (Poland) 2024, 22’, 15+

Vova and Roma are spending their last days of vacation in their hometown. Explosions, alarm sirens and military in the streets cast a shadow over their reality. Childhood, however, happens indepentendly of the war.

Film awarded at OKFA.

Captive, dir. Lika Nadir (Ukraine, France) 2023, 15’, 18+

Savva is working as a security in the strip club. He lives a simple life, where his only friends it’s the TV with propaganda of the war. Savva has access to weapons. Could Savva ever kill anyone?

Film presented at e.g. Krakow FF.