World Premiere of Odesa Documentary "When Lightning Flashes Over the Sea" at Berlinale 2025

On February 15, the world premiere of the documentary film about Odesa "When Lightning Flashes Over the Sea" by Eva Neumann will take place at the Forum panel of the 75th Berlin Film Festival.

It is reported by Intent with reference to the author's Facebook page.

In the film When Lightning Flashes Over the Sea, Eva Neumann talks to people in war-torn Odesa who are trying to continue their lives and find meaning.

"A widow who takes care of stray cats, a boy who loves the sea, a philosopher on whom life has left its mark... Eva Neumann, known for her films Song of Songs and The House with a Turret, shows Odessans with gentleness and care, trying to find out what they dream about when the war has destroyed all certainty," reads the synopsis of the 124-minute film.

Neumann filmed Odesa at the beginning of the war in 2022.

"The film captures enduring memories, dreams and hopes, revealing humanity's search for meaning amidst the horrors of war," the synopsis of the co-production by Blue Monticola Film and Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg emphasizes.

"At the beginning of the war, I was in Ukraine, so I experienced the first shock along with all the people there," Neumann told The Hollywood Reporter. "And I immediately decided to make this document of time and place.

According to the director, it was important for her to document people's dreams. "Especially in difficult times, in order to sustain yourself, you have to keep the ability to dream and see something other than the so-called reality, because otherwise you are just a product of circumstances."

Eva explained the title of the film as follows: "As soon as I met a boy who made a wish and told me that he was absolutely sure that all our wishes would come true when lightning flashed over the sea, I thought that was it."

Of course, explosions in the city occur regularly, Neumann says.

"It's so terrifying. I've experienced it quite a few times. But after a couple of hours, maybe faster, you just forget about it. You can somehow get used to it, so that life goes on."

Eva summarized: "We must continue to live in order to have joy. Hate is not and cannot be the main thing in life."

Previously, Eva Neiman made a film about the Odesa market called Privoz.

Forum is a section of the film festival where viewers are introduced to non-standard film stories. There are no official awards or competitions.

Berlinale 2025 will take place from February 13 to 25. You can find out which Ukrainian films will be screened at the festival in a big article on Intent soon.

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