The unseen damage inflicted by war on personal relationships pushes war veteran Serhiy away from his family. Haunted by loss and war, he battles to reconnect with his wife, Nadiia, and their three sons, Sasha (11), Artem (8) and Nikita (3).
The film takes an unexpected turn when Serhiy turns the camera on the director herself. This role reversal creates a space for vulnerable dialogue about love and human relationships as the filmmaker shares her own experiences of a breakup with another Ukrainian war veteran. The trust and empathy built between the protagonist and the filmmaker convey war’s lasting emotional toll and showcase the healing potential of storytelling and documentary filmmaking.
We’ll talk more about the protection of servicemembers’ rights at the human rights event Protecting the Rights of Service Members: How Should the Ukrainian Army Evolve?, taking place on June 7 as part of the RIGHTS NOW! program at the Zhovten Cinema.
Lesia Diak is a Ukrainian film director and producer whose works earned recognition at international film festivals. Her films delve into themes of human connection, inner conflict, trauma, and healing, offering intimate and thought-provoking narratives. With a background in Communication, she expanded her expertise by completing the DocNomads International Documentary Film Directing Master’s Program in 2022. She later founded DramaFree, a company dedicated to author-driven storytelling and impact production. In 2024, Lesia premiered her feature-length documentary debut, Dad’s Lullaby — a Ukrainian-Romanian-Croatian co-production at the Sarajevo International Film Festival. As director and lead producer, she skillfully balanced creative vision and production leadership to bring this deeply personal film to life. Currently, she divides her time between Lisbon and Kyiv and continues to create emotionally resonant and socially impactful films, actively collaborating with co-producers from Portugal, France, Poland and beyond.
