Once Upon a Time in Ukraine

Tuesday, September 24 - Monday, September 30, 2024

Wednesday, September 25 at 6:45 p.m.: Q&A with director Betsy West moderated by Academy Award winner Thomas F. Lennon, Director of the Documentary Film Lab, Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Thursday, September 26 at 6:45 p.m.: Q&A with director Betsy West moderated by Peabody Award winner Judith Helfand, co-founder and senior creative consultant of Chicken & Egg Pictures.

As the Ukraine war moves into its third year, a surprising story of resilience: how children in Ukraine are surviving the Russian war machine that has targeted them and their families. With creativity and imagination they have transformed backyards and playgrounds destroyed by missiles, invented fairy tales where vegetable armies vanquish Russian attackers, and carried on the Ukrainian tradition of music and dance in bombed out studios. Life behind the frontlines as seen through the eyes of the children who will inherit a country struggling to survive a brutal invasion.

  • Country Ukraine, USA
  • Language Ukrainian with English Subtitles
  • Running Time 32 minutes
  • Format DCP
  • Director Betsy West
  • Producer Earle Mack
  • Cast Ivanna (11), Ruslan (8), Myroslava (9), Maxim (10)
  • Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.