A film shot in the Kherson region has been shortlisted for the European Film Awards

The documentary film *Traces* by Alisa Kovalenko and Marisa Nikitiuk, about women from the Kherson region who survived the Russian occupation, has been shortlisted for the 2027 European Film Awards. The film tells the harrowing stories of six Ukrainian women who endured war crimes and torture.

This is reported on the award’s website. 

At the center of the film is the story of human rights activist Iryna Dovhan. She herself was held captive by the Russians in 2014, when she was abducted by militants from the “Vostok” battalion for helping the Ukrainian military. She was tortured and paraded to a “pillar of shame” in the center of Donetsk, wrapped in a Ukrainian flag. Later, Iryna Dovhan became the head of the organization SEMA Ukraine. The film shows how she documents the testimonies of victims in the de-occupied territories of Ukraine and brings women together in a support group.

The film “Traces” has already garnered recognition on the international and national stages. Earlier, the Ukrainian Oscar Committee selected this film as Ukraine’s official national entry for the 99th Academy Awards in the “Best International Feature Film” category.

The film “For Victory!” by director Valentin Vasyanovich made it onto the shortlist for feature-length fiction films. It is an ironic dramedy about postwar realities in Ukraine, where, after the end of hostilities, society faces new challenges and the absurdity of reconstruction, while the characters are forced to rebuild their careers, relationships, and the meaning of their future lives.

In total, 68 films from across Europe made it onto the shortlists for the 2027 European Film Awards’ feature-length category: 45 fiction films, 15 documentaries, and eight animated films.

Юлія Калабайда