The Travelling Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival visited a dormitory in Dnipro where displaced people from Mariupol currently live. Despite the power outage, the meeting took place — and for many it became not just a film screening, but a warm human evening that united shared experiences, memory, and hope.

This time the audience was presented with the documentary film Sanatorium by the Irish director Gar O’Rourke, a poignant story about the lives of people in the legendary Kuyalnyk resort near Odesa. This film is not only about treatment or everyday life, but about the resilience with which people overcome difficult circumstances, preserving their dignity, humour, and aspiration for something better.

Meeting the film’s protagonist

A special moment of the event was the presence of one of the film’s protagonists, Olena Kozhemiaka. Ms. Olena has been working at the sanatorium for 35 years and shared stories from the life of Kuyalnyk, spoke about how the resort’s residents survive in difficult conditions, what illnesses are treated there, and also recalled amusing and challenging moments from the filming process. Her sincerity and openness created an atmosphere of trust in which the audience could ask questions and share their own emotions.

Photo: meeting with Olena Kozhemiaka, the protagonist of the film Sanatorium

Invitation to Kuyalnyk

At the end of the meeting, Olena Kozhemiaka invited everyone willing to visit Kuyalnyk:

“Come and see with your own eyes what a unique place it is. There, the power of nature, the resilience of people, and the belief in a better future come together,” she noted.

Photo: meeting with displaced persons from Mariupol in Dnipro 

Warmth regardless of whether there are lights

Despite the power outage, the screening took place in an exceptionally warm, friendly atmosphere. Watching the film together became an opportunity for a sincere conversation about resilience, people’s experiences, mutual support, and how documentary cinema helps not only to see reality but to live through it together.

The Travelling Docudays UA continues its journey to show films and initiate important conversations where they are needed the most.

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.