Despite the war, Ukrainian filmmakers continue to make films that the whole world is talking about.
The best of them will screen in Standing with Ukraine, a special programme at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF).

Alisa Kovalenko and Marysia Nikitiuk’s Traces won the Panorama Audience Award for Documentary at the Berlin International Film Festival. Ukraine has selected it as its entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

In the film, which has travelled from festival to festival, Ukrainian women recount the sexual violence committed against them by Russian soldiers.

Mykyta Gibalenko’s drama Camouflage premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and Yuliia Hontaruk’s documentary To Die To Live premiered at Karlovy Vary. Isabelle Stever’s drama I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming premiered at Locarno.

Estonians have contributed to Rostislav Kirpicenko’s Vesna, which screened at Cannes. Sten Sheripov composed the score, Heiki Luts created the visual effects, and Vitalii Sheremetiev of ESSE House co-produced the film.

Three films will have their world premieres in Tallinn.

Denys Sobolev’s drama Slava follows the trial of the KGB agent who poisoned Ukrainian nationalist leader Stepan Bandera in Munich in 1959.

Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, lead singer of the popular Ukrainian band Okean Elzy, uses his music to carry Ukraine’s message to the world. Jacqui and David Morris capture his mission in their documentary Slava: Shooting With Music.

From 2024 to 2026, Nerijus Milerius volunteered to deliver medical aid to the Ukrainian front line, filming his experiences along the way. The result is the documentary Living On.

Ana Rocha de Sousa’s drama Wings will have its international premiere. It follows a Ukrainian family who flee the war and try to build a new life in Portugal.

Several of the filmmakers have already arrived in Tallinn or are on their way.

Standing with Ukraine features nine fiction films and documentaries.

Now in its third year, the programme is dedicated to Ukrainians who stand steadfastly for their right to decide their own future.

PÖFF runs until 22 November.

Image: a still from I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming.