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Photophobia

Ivan Ostrochovský & Pavol Pekarcik | 1 h 10 min | Slovakia / Czech Republic / Ukraina
Original title:
Director: Ivan Ostrochovský & Pavol Pekarcik
Year: 2023
Duration: 1 h 10 min
Country: Slovakia / Czech Republic / Ukraina
Language: Russian / Ukrainska
Subtitles: English

In the Kharkiv metro system, 12-year-old Niki and 11-year-old Vika hide from the war raging above ground. They are not allowed to leave the platforms or train cars, which means living under neon lights without access to sunlight. What initially seemed different and exciting soon turns into boredom. We follow the children’s games among makeshift beds and camps, their legs running swiftly through the trains. One can’t help but ponder the future of these children, who are forced to hide from the bombs in the subway stations.

Ivan Ostrochovský and Pavol Pekarcik, two ambitious directors, followed these children throughout 2022. The result is a hybrid documentary that portrays life during war and temporary exile—a film about survival and the future, seen through the eyes of children.

Mia Rogersdotter Gran

Time

Screening

Section

Theatre

Ticket

Sun 01
16:15
Winner of Rödspoven: Photophobia
Rödspoven
Tagning

sometimes passes through Västerbotten, much like the films we present in this section. The prize, a scholarship of 10,000 SEK, is awarded to an international documentary film that highlights a current and important topic. Each year, we focus on new themes that reflect the world around us.

For 2024, we have chosen to highlight three powerful films centered around the lives of children in times of change. One of these three films will receive the scholarship, as decided by an external jury. The winner, which will be announced during the Sunday screening, will be determined Friday evening after the award ceremony at Kajscenen.

With Rödspoven, we aim to honor documentary film as an art form while also shedding light on the pressing social issues we face in our time.