Culture

The documentary film TRACES , which focuses on survivors of conflict -related sexual violence during Russia’s war against Ukraine, has been selected for the Panorama Dokumente section of the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale).

In  U Are the Universe , Andrii Melnyk, the last man on Earth, navigates a desolate world in 2070, relying on a robot for company. Their banter, laced with humor and tinged with loneliness, offers a glimpse of human connection amid devastation. The sci-fi film, released amid Russia’s full-scale invasion, is a huge hit in Ukraine.

On January 6, Ukrainians across the country marked Epiphany with a time-honored tradition—plunging into icy waters to renew their faith. Despite ongoing challenges from Russia’s war, the ritual of immersing in frigid rivers, symbolizing the Holy Trinity, remains a powerful expression of Ukraine’s cultural resilience and spiritual renewal.

The fifth season of Netflix’s hit series Emily in Paris premiered on December 18, shifting the story from Paris to Rome—and bringing Ukrainian fashion into the global spotlight as designs by Ukrainian brands appear among the show’s most talked-about looks.

An increasing number of Ukrainian documentaries are embracing a “mosaic” style of storytelling, opting for a self-sufficient narrative that eschews voice-over narration. With an unflinching vision, Kateryna Gornostai’s Timestamp portrays Ukrainian children navigating classrooms amidst the backdrop of Russia’s full-scale war, offering an intimate, hyper-focused account of youth and teachers.