Country
Oekraine
Year
1926
Language
Oekraïens, Russisch gesproken, English subtitles
Director
Olga Chernykh
Duration
70 min
In any war, daily life continues, despite everything. But is it really "normal"?
The Illusion of a Quiet Night reveals that "normal" life in Ukraine is a fiction, especially during the night, when Russia bombards cities with drones and missiles. This dialogue-free film by Olga Chernykh, whose work A Picture to Remember opened IDFA in 2023—presents a kaleidoscopic view of life in Ukraine over the course of a single night.
On the night of July 27–28, 2025, forty professional cinematographers and three hundred civilians captured footage across more than sixty locations, including occupied territories and the front line. The result is a portrait of a world defined by stark contrasts: while nightclub-goers dance the night away, a wounded soldier is carried into a field hospital. Meanwhile, as the grain harvest continues in the countryside, air-raid sirens wail in Kyiv, and residents flee to a metro station for shelter.
A quiet night is an illusion in Ukraine, yet the calm determination of its people is striking. As the night draws to a close, everyone quietly emerges from their shelters, and a new day begins.
12:30 PM - 1:40 PM
€ 11.50
Camera 4
6:30 PM - 7:40 PM
€ 11.50
Camera 4
It's not what you look at, it's what you see
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