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Section: Competition of European Feature Documentaries for Young Audience
We Will Not Fade Away (2023)
Five teenagers face the next stage of their education. They hope to become a photographer, policeman, engineer, or actor, but they have been living in a village in the Donbass among ruins, minefields, and bomb shelters since 2014. Gunfire is a part of life, as is the ubiquitous desire for a better life. They dream of leaving the war zone and exploring a world not ruled by missiles. Amid this despair, our heroes receive an unexpected offer from a Ukrainian traveler. An expedition to the Himalayas provides five Ukrainian teenagers with an opportunity to fulfill their dream for at least a little while – before Russia's total invasion in February 2022 destroys the last remnants of their hope. With a sensitive, unobtrusive gaze, the documentary portrays a touching portrait of a generation of young people surrounded by darkness, yet – or perhaps because of this – able to recognize the fragile beauty of life.
| Country | France, Poland, Ukraine |
|---|---|
| Year | 2023 |
| Duration | 100 min |
| Rating | 13 |
| Language | Russian, Ukrainian |
| Subtitle | Czech, English |
| Directed by | Alisa Kovalenko |
| Screenplay | Alisa Kovalenko |
| Director of Photography | Serhiy Stetsenko |
| Music | Wojciech Frycz |
| Edited by | Maryna Maykovska, Kasia Boniecka |
| Contact | Stranger Films Sales |
Biography
Ukrainian documentary director. She studied at the Karpenko-Kary University in Kiev and the Andrzej Wajda Film School in Warsaw. Her documentary debut was Alisa in Warland (Alisa w krainie wojny, 2015) and directed the award-winning films Home Games (Domašni ihry, 2018) and We Will Not Fade Away (My ne zgasnemo, 2023).
Ups and Downs of Growing Up, Focus on Documentary, Children in Need