Daria, Hanna, Kira, Olexa, Rost, Sasha, Vlada, Vlada, Vesna and Zakhar are ten teenagers who like Radiohead, making art, swimming, dating, watching films and hanging out with their friends. They also live close to the front line.

This is also Ukraine is a poetic, patchwork film of their lives from their point of view: unfiltered, normal and equally extraordinary.

In the spring of 2025, these ten young people began filming, writing, singing, dancing, hugging, laughing, crying and meeting up to make a film about their lives –supported by a team of Ukrainian and British artists, psychologists, and producers. See how these young people have cared for and supported each other to explore their thoughts and feelings on identity, belonging, love, rage and living in the face of, and despite, constant danger.

This is also Ukraine shows the reality, hopes and challenges of a being a teenager, and of experiences that go unheard while the horror and stupidity of war unfolds. It is also really silly at times because, y’know, balance is important.

Dates.

Manchester International Festival. July 2025.

Jam Factory, Lviv. August 2025.

Kyiv International Short Film Festival, August 2025.

Art Area DK, Kharkiv, September 2025.

More dates coming soon.

A film written, filmed and edited by

Daria, Hanna, Kira, Olexa, Rost, Sasha, Vlada, Vlada, Vesna and Zakhar

With mentoring from the vacuum cleaner and Oksana Chyzh, Mariia Felenko, Anastasiia Kosodii, Kateryna Krokha, Andrii Ptitsyn

Producer – Jenna Omeltschenko

Producer – Anna Burdina (The Independent Cultural Initiatives)

Producer – Catherine Herbert

Producer – Kateryna Krokha

Wellbeing Support, Collaboration and massive shout out to Art Therapy Force, Veronika Skliarova and Natalia Shapovalova

Grading – Kateryna Krokha

Sound – Yurii Kavratka

Music – Illia Feoktistov, paluemniq

Translation – Anastasiia Kosodii, Oksana Chyzh and Yuriy Mazur

Additional Camera – Natalia Shapovalova, Oksana Chyzh and the vacuum cleaner.

Psychological support – Rayan Capozzi and Oksana Panasenko

Senior Editor – Kateryna Krokha

A project by the vacuum cleaner

Daria, Hanna, Kira, Olexa, Rost, Sasha, Vlada, Vlada, Vesna and Zakhar would like to thank:

Lina Oshchapovska.

My family, friends, Anatolii Kibets and bathhouse.

Paluemniq for the magical music.

To the vatrushka chat for our conversations, support and help.

Natalia Shapovalova and Yaroslav Voitenko for cozy evenings, support and faith in us.

Thank you to all the participants who helped in the process of making the film.

Thank you to all of the mentors for their support and guidance.

Thank you to the defenders for allowing us the opportunity to shoot this film in Ukraine.

Balmy Ukraine is funded by the British Council’s International Collaboration Grants, and using public funding by Arts Council England.