The 22nd Travelling Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in Lviv opened with a screening of Sanatorium by Irish director Gar O’Rourke. The event took place in the main hall of the Lviv Cultural Hub and gathered a full audience. After the screening, an online meeting was held with the director and his Ukrainian fixer, Serhii Solodko.

The documentary Sanatorium is an ironic, tender, and profound story about life at the renowned Odesa sanatorium, Kuyalnyk. It is the feature debut of Gar O’Rourke, which has been selected by Ireland as its submission for the 2026 Oscars. At the heart of the film are people who, despite the war, sleepless nights, financial difficulties, and uncertainty, continue to care for one another, find meaning in their daily routines, and preserve humour as part of their resilience.

Photo: screening of the film Sanatorium in Lviv, by Yaroslav Tabinsky

People are our rarest resource

Before the screening, Vira Karpinska, the regional coordinator of the Travelling Docudays UA in the Lviv Region, spoke about the main theme of this year’s festival: Rare Resource.

“This is not only about natural resources. We will be talking about people, about us, because it is people who are the rarest resource. One of these precious resources for our team was Tetiana Kulyk, the coordinator of the network development department. This year’s Travelling Docudays UA is held in her loving memory,” Vira noted

Photo: by Yaroslav Tabinsky

She also emphasised that the festival continues to advance accessibility: the film Sanatorium can be viewed with audio description through the Earcatch app.

Cinema that heals — and raises funds to help

After a brief introduction, the audience watched a video message from human rights advocate, journalist, and veteran Maksym Butkevych, who became the ambassador of the festival’s human rights programme. He reminded everyone that this year the Travelling Docudays UA, together with the Principle of Hope charity foundation, is raising funds for the rehabilitation and reintegration of those released from russian captivity. During the event, anyone wishing to contribute could do so via a QR code.

Laughter, compassion, and warmth of Kuyalnyk

During the screening, the hall filled with laughter and warm emotions. The audience experienced the stories of the protagonists who seek not only physical but also mental healing. Amid the sounds of sanatorium life — songs, baths, hydromassages, and everyday conversations — a space of humanity emerges, turning Sanatorium into a true metaphor for Ukrainian resilience.

“There is so much light in the film, even though it speaks about difficult times. It reminds us that we have the ability not only to survive but also to remain human,” said one of the audience members after the screening.

Photo: discussion of the film Sanatorium, by Yaroslav Tabinsky

Conversation with the author: How Sanatorium was born

The screening was followed by a discussion, moderated by Yuliia Nahorna. Director Gar O’Rourke joined online and spoke about how the idea for the film was born.

“Seven years ago, I shot a short film in Kyiv called Kachalka. It revealed to me the unique Ukrainian attitude towards health and recovery. When I first came to Kuyalnyk, I felt it was a special place — as if frozen in time, filled with human stories and extraordinary energy,” the director admitted.

Photo: online conversation with Gar O'Rourke, director of the film Sanatorium, by Yaroslav Tabinsky

Gar O’Rourke shared that before the full-scale invasion, the film was conceived as a light, visually expressive story about healing, but after 2022 it became a film about the strength of ordinary Ukrainians in extraordinary times.

The film’s Ukrainian fixer, Serhii Solodko, spoke about the process of finding the protagonists:

Photo: audience members at the 22nd Traveling Docudays UA in Lviv, by Yaroslav Tabinsky“We met many colourful and genuine people. But the main thing was to make everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera. We were looking for a balance between energies, stories, and moods.

Photo: Audience members at the 22nd Traveling Docudays UA in Lviv, by Yaroslav Tabinsky

90 hours of life to find 20 seconds of truth

During the discussion, the director was asked about the specifics of the filming process. Gar explained that the team shot over 90 hours of footage, using an observational method: the camera simply captured the everyday life of the sanatorium.

“What you try to do as a director is to reach the core of humanity. We are all full of contradictions. We have good days and bad days. And it is in this ordinariness that true beauty lies,” he noted.

In conclusion, Gar added:

“I immediately discovered that Ukrainians have a wonderful sense of dark humour. I think that’s what unites us.”

The Travelling Docudays UA in Lviv continues to keep this conversation going in every city, every room, and every heart.

Author: Anastasiia Kadnikova

The 22nd Travelling Docudays UA is held with the financial support of the European Union, the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, and International Media Support. The opinions, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily correspond to the views of the European Union, the governments or charities of these countries. Responsibility for the content of the publication lies solely on its authors.