Research and AD
After fleeing Ukraine, I found myself working as an assistant and translator for Dutch filmmakers who wanted to tell Ukrainian stories. My role went beyond language: I also translated the cultural and emotional state of the characters, because I was going through the same experiences myself. I felt it was my duty to help filmmakers understand and convey these stories with greater depth and honesty.
As an assistant, I was involved in all kinds of spontaneous tasks that a small documentary crew demands. Being a filmmaker myself, I never divide roles too strictly — I step in wherever needed, drawing on my broad experience in television and film production.
In the Dutch town of Weesp, a new shelter for Ukrainian refugees opens. Documentary filmmakers Petra Lataster-Czisch and Peter Lataster follow the residents as they arrive and settle in. Children play, rooms are furnished, and in the large shared kitchen a place of comfort emerges. While the pain of loss remains palpable, cooking provides support. For Zoia, who lost her son in the war, the kitchen is a refuge. Every day she calls her husband at the front, urging him to flee. A portrait of resilience, grief, and hope.
Ballerina Alexis and soldier Oleksandr who lost legs form friendship. Oleksandr learns ballet with prosthetics. They rehearse with Ukrainian ballet company for performance blurring line between audience and war.