Molodist Announces Competition Programs

Winners and Participants of Cannes, Locarno, Berlinale, Venice, and Karlovy Vary take part in the International Competition of KIFF "Molodist"

Traditionally, the international competition includes feature film debuts from around the world, student films, and short films by emerging directors. Traditionally, the feature films in the international competition of "Molodist" are the most interesting debut films from across the globe, from our closest neighbors to countries in Asia and Latin America. In particular, there will be the Ukrainian premiere of "All We Imagine As Light" which not only became the first Indian film in the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival in 30 years but also won the Grand Prix of the year. Another participant of this prestigious festival in this section is "Wild Diamond" by Agathe Riedinger.

As for neighbour-participants, viewers will get a chance to see the Romanian film "The New Year That Never Came" directed by Bogdan Mureșanu. The feature received several awards at Venice, including Best Film in the "Horizons" section and the prestigious FIPRESCI Prize from film critics. Among other films from Eastern and Central Europe, the competition list introduces a Lithuanian film "Toxic" which won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival. The Czech-Slovak co-production "Our Lovely Pig Slaughter" received a special award at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Yet another participant competing for the prize is the Vietnamese film "Cu Li Never Cries".

The international competition also includes the feature debut of Zhanna Osirna, and her film "Honeymoon" which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and is one of the few pieces in Ukraine that were filmed after the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. The film tells the story of a young married couple (Roman Lutskyi and Iryna Nirsha) who find themselves in Bucha during the occupation after the invasion began. The winner of the Grand Prix for Best Film in the International Competition Program will receive a cash prize of $5,000 and the traditional "Molodist" award – the "Scythian Deer." The prize for Best Film in each category of the International Competition Program is $2,000, and the winners will also be awarded a "Scythian Deer" statuette.

F: Full-Length Competition

All We Imagine As Light, Payal Kapadia, India, 2024, 120’
Wild Diamond, Agathe Riedinger, France, 2024, 103’
Summer Brother, Joren Molter, Netherlands, Belgium, 2023, 100’
Toxic, Saule Bliuvaite, Lithuania, 2024, 100’
Our Lovely Pig Slaughter, Adam Martinec, Czech Republic, Slovakia, 2024, 84’
Cu Li Never Cries, Fam Ngoc Lan, Vietnam, 2024, 93’
Treading Water, Gino Evans, United Kingdom, 2024, 121’
Honeymoon, Zhanna Osirna, Ukraine, 2024, 84’
The New Year That Never Came, Bogdan Mureșanu, Romania, 2024, 138’
Oysters Silence, Marcos Pimentel, France, Brazil

ST: Student Competition

The Chaos She Left Behind, Nikos Kolioukos, Greece, 2023, 34’
Experts In A Dying Field, Mitchell Camarda, USA, 2024, 18’
The Steak, Kiarash Dagdar, Iran, 2023, 18’
Like a Butterfly, Iris Gerschon Nagar, Israel, 2023, 26’
Mania!, Lena Jaworska, Poland, 2023, 16’
Basia: Three Short Stories, Mateusz Pietrak, Poland, 2023, 29’
Daddy's Little Scratch, Yegor Harmash, Ukraine, 2024, 24’
Tennis Mortis, Michal Lukowicz, Poland, 2024, 20’
Just for a while, Hou Zongkun, China, 2023, 21’
Fish River Anthology, Veera Lamminpaa, Finland, 2024, 10’
The Imprint of Memory, Daria Nashubska, Ukraine, 2024, 23’
What if I never wake up again, Yiqing Hu, USA, 2023, 14’
Photograph 1, Oscar Simmons, United Kingdom, 2024, 20’
Crust, Jens Kevin Georg, Germany, 2023, 26’
The Rooms We Share, Nadiia Khatymlianska, Ukraine, Germany, 2023, 12’

SH: Short Competition

Where is Cecile, Esther Jouzeau, France, 2024, 21’
Lifeline, Jelle Krings, Netherlands, 2024, 16’
A Dear Died Here, John Giordano, Italy, 2023, 15’
Champions, Asher and Aaron Goldenberg, USA, 2024, 23’
The Bridges We Cross, Iris van Dongen, United Kingdom, 2023, 9’
Oldtown, David Vermander, Belgium, 2024, 15’
We Want To Live Here, Alexandrina Turcan, Ukraine, 2023, 25’
Good Boy, Colin Russell, USA, 2024, 18’
My Heart Backwards, Sarah Gouret, Belgium, 2024, 18’
82-92, Laura Mendelzon, Argentina, 2023, 10’
Speaking of Pink, Charlotte Maria, Netherlands, 2023, 40’
Death of an Actor, Ambroise Rateau, France, 2024, 21’
The Last Take, Brian Foyster, USA, 2023, 14’
Bubble Bath, Adriana Racasan, Romania, 2024, 19’
The Big Dipper, Anthony Bajon, France, 2023, 25’
Dabbo, Ninaad Shaunak Bhatt, India, 2024, 14’

Documentary competition of "Molodist," which was first held in 2020, includes ten film debuts. Among them are two Ukrainian films, first is the debut feature by Adelina Borets, "Flowers of Ukraine" which unravels the story of 67-year-old Kyivan Natalia, a strong and independent woman fighting for her land against all odds. Her story begins as a solo battle against developers and soon takes on a deeper meaning, as Russia invades Ukraine.
"Ride the Line" by Ihor Volochii, a filmmaker and cyclist. This film is a story of aunique bike journey of two desperate friends who decided to cycle 1,500 km along the entire front line in Ukraine, through liberated villages and towns, hearing the stories from local people and witnessing the consequences of the war with the aim of raising funds for Ukrainian aid projects.

Despite using the name of the famous director in its title, the film "What Did You Dream Last Night, Parajanov?" tells a personal story of director Faraz Fesharaki, who went to Germany to study filmmaking while his family remained in Iran. The world premiere of the film took place in the Forum program at Berlinale.
The French film "Jeune Cinéma" recounts the story of the festival of the same name that took place in France from 1965 to 1983. The film features unique archival footage with legendary filmmakers such as Jean-Luc Godard, Chantal Akerman, Leos Carax, and Philippe Garrel.
The documentary competition also includes "TACK" by director Vania Turner, who will personally come to Kyiv from Greece to present her film. Her work revolves around the story of child abuse and has been recognized at prestigious documentary Thessaloniki Film Festival and One World in Poland.
Film "Homegrown" directed by Michael Premo participated in the Venice Film Festival competition. This documentary tells a story of two right-wing supporters of Donald Trump.

DC: Documentary competition

Flowers of Ukraine, Adelina Borets, Poland, Ukraine, 2024, 70’
Homegrown, Michael Premo, USA, 2024, 109’
Billy, Lawrence Сôte-Collins, Canada, 2024, 107’
What Did You Dream Last Night, Parajanov?, Faraz Fesharaki, Germany, 2024, 81’
Jeune Cinéma, Yves-Marie Mahe, France, 74’
In Perpetuo, Federico Barassi, Italy, 2024, 87’
Riverboom, Claude Baechtold, Switzerland, 2023, 99’
Tack, Vania Turner, Greece, 2024, 96’
Who am I Smiling for?, Eeva Mägi, Estonia, 2023, 61’
Ride the Line, Ihor Volochii, Ukraine, 2024, 70’

The Teen Screen section includes 7 films that have participated in international festivals among which are Sundance, Berlinale, the Locarno Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights, and others.
Particularly, the film "Reinas" premiered at Sundance with the following Grand Prix in the Generation KPlus teen cinema section.
The drama "Young Hearts" was nominated for the Teddy Award at Berlinale, while "Winners" competed for the Crystal Bear at this prestigious festival.

TS: Teen Screen

Young Hearts, Anthony Schatteman, Belgium, 2024, 97’
Winners, Soleen Yusef, Germany, 2024, 118’
Blue Sky Jo, Patrice Sauvé, Poland, Canada, 2024, 103’
Arnold Cautious and The Happiness Stone, Arto Halonen, Finland, 2023, 89’
The Chaos Sisters feat. Penguin Paul, Mike Marzuk, Belgium, The Netherlands, 2023, 98’
Reinas, Klaudia Reynicke, Switzerland, Peru, Spain, 2024, 104’
Gina, Ulrike Kofler, Austria, 2024, 98’