In this intimate documentary, we get to know the small Ukrainian village of Hnutove; a final outpost at the frontline between the pro-Russian Donetsk People’s Republic in the East, and a government-controlled Ukrainian area in the West. Here, ten-year-old Oleg lives with his grandmother Alexandra. His mother is dead, and the village is rapidly being emptied of its inhabitants – but to Oleg and his grandmother, leaving their home is not an option. «Any dog is a lion in his own home», says Alexandra, while the gunfire moves ever closer. They belong here, even if that means having to seek shelter in the basement every now and again.

The solo debut of Danish director Simon Lereng Wilmont is an impressive deep dive into what rarely gets any attention in media coverage of war: the everyday life. Although the war is a constant presence for Oleg, through the depopulation of his hometown, drills in school, and eternal booms from the battles taking place only kilometres away, the film is just as much a tale of family relations and about growing up. No matter how tough the surroundings demand that Oleg be, he can always seek refuge and consolation on his grandmother’s lap. The love the two share is undeniably present in every dwelling camera take.

Year 2017

Director Simon Lereng Wilmont

Screenplay Simon Lereng Wilmont

Cinematography Simon Lereng Wilmont

Cast Oleg Afanasyev

Runtime 1h 30m

Links IMDb