Long métrage 01:18:25 - documentaire - Ukraine
Réalisé par / Directed by
Lesia Diak
2025
Synopsis : The unseen damage inflicted by war on personal relationships pushes war veteran Serhiy away from his family. Haunted by loss and war, he battles to reconnect with his wife, Nadiia, and their three sons, Sasha (11), Artem (8) and Nikita (3). The film takes an unexpected turn when Serhiy turns the camera on the director herself. This role reversal creates a space for vulnerable dialogue about love and human relationships as the filmmaker shares her own experiences of a breakup with another Ukrainian war veteran. The trust and empathy built between the protagonist and the filmmaker not only convey war’s lasting emotional toll but also showcase the healing potential of storytelling and documentary filmmaking.
My urgent need to understand how war affects human relationships began long ago when I entered a relationship with a soldier. For two years, I observed what was happening to my war-worn partner. His post-war mental condition deeply affected me. I started experiencing anxiety and PTSD symptoms myself, which led me to search for a family expecting their loved one’s return from war. I found Serhiy’s family through a Ukrainian NGO. It took me three years to film his story and two years to edit the film, as I combined work on this project with my everyday job at a creative agency. I chose Serhiy as the central character because he was the most broken, and I could deeply understand him. There was a vulnerability that connected us despite our age and gender differences. Now I am living in Portugal after graduating from an international master’s program in film directing. But as a Ukrainian, I know I need to help my nation rebuild its strength. No one can be completely prepared to face the post-war trauma of a loved one, but there should be a support system for veterans and their family members. This system is not yet established at the official state level in Ukraine, and I believe that the film can give viewers tools for coping and encourage them to seek mental health support. I hope that viewers experiencing hardships can share their burden in the cinema. The goal of my film is to have the viewer sympathise with each character and learn to forgive. I learned how to forgive and grew significantly as a person while making ‘Dad’s Lullaby.’ I am convinced that the deep connection between me and Serhiy, Nadiia, Sasha, Artem, and Nikita has been the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced in life. I would like to believe that watching ‘Dad’s Lullaby’ will be a healing experience for others. I continue to follow Serhiy’s news. His ongoing struggles fuel my desire to make his story known and heard.
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