“An artful exploration of the human side of war” — To honor the solemn anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, join us for a special screening of Flowers Beyond the Dark, a documentary offering three powerful perspectives on life in the Kyiv region following its de-occupation in 2022. Winner of the Best International Feature Film Award at the Carmel International Film Festival, the film is a raw eyewitness account of people maintaining the spirit of resistance despite facing the horrors of occupation in their daily lives — whether in church, at home, behind the artist’s canvas, or in armored vehicles.
Amid the chaos of Russia’s invasion, Natalia and Serhiy, an artist couple separated by occupation, quickly lose any contact. They feel paralyzed, drowning in helplessness and uncertainty. At the same time, the soldiers of the 72nd brigade of the Armed Forces, Vitaliy and Serhiy, build unity and find courage guarding “the road of life,” a planned evacuation route for civilians. Priest Andriy Halavin is tending to the region’s first mass burials on the territory of his church. Almost daily, he welcomes international delegations to share evidence of Russia’s atrocities, while continuing to be the source of healing for locals who survived the occupation.
This event has been organized by the Consulate General of Ukraine in partnership with Scandinavia House.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Iryna Pravylo (born 1987 in Kyiv) is a Ukrainian film director, screenwriter, and producer. In 2024, Iryna became the first Doctor of Fine Arts in Ukraine in Audiovisual Arts and Production. She studied in a studio that traces its origins to the world-renowned movie and theater director and innovator Les Kurbas. Iryna’s movie language is characterized by imagery, deep symbolism, and the timelessness of themes. She is an associate professor at the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University, and a member of the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine.
In the first weeks of the invasion, Iryna remained in Kyiv to volunteer and, together with caring colleagues, engaged in the coordination of humanitarian aid to vulnerable groups of Kyiv residents in the city’s sleeping areas, who were limited in resources and mobility. Immediately after the de-occupation of the region, Iryna and her colleague Oleksandr Meshcheriakov, began filming the consequences of the invasion. This work evolved into “Flowers Beyond the Dark,” marking Iryna’s debut as a feature-length director.