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Traces

Panorama Dokumente 2026
© Alisa Kovalenko
The film shines a light on Ukrainian women who, after surviving conflict-related sexual violence and torture during the Russian war of aggression, refuse to remain silent. Through the journey of Iryna Dovhan, a former captive turned activist who documents testimonies of affected women in the de-occupied territories of Ukraine, the film weaves a portrait of a collective trauma while opening space for hope. Iryna gathers other survivors into a circle of courage and care. Together, they transform their pain into a force for truth, justice and mutual support. More than a record of war crimes, Traces is a testament to resilience and the solidarity of women standing side by side.

Trailer/Film Excerpt

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by Alisa Kovalenko (Director, Screenplay), Marysia Nikitiuk (Director)
with Iryna Dovhan, Tetiana Vasylenko, Liudmyla Mefodiivna, Galyna Tyshchenko, Olha Cherniak, Nina Ukraine / Poland 2026 Ukrainian 85' Colour World premiere | Documentary form

With

  • Iryna Dovhan
  • Tetiana Vasylenko
  • Liudmyla Mefodiivna
  • Galyna Tyshchenko
  • Olha Cherniak
  • Nina

Crew

Directors Alisa Kovalenko, Marysia Nikitiuk
Screenplay Alisa Kovalenko
Cinematography Alisa Kovalenko
Editing Nikon Romanchenko, Alisa Kovalenko, Milenia Fiedler
Music Wojciech Frycz
Sound Design Mariia Nesterenko, Maciej Amilkiewicz
Producers Olha Bregman, Natalia Libet
Co-Producers Violetta Kamińska, Izabela Wójcik, Dariusz Jabłoński

Produced by

2Brave Productions

Kiew, Ukraine

Co-produced by

Message Film

Warschau, Poland

World Sales

Stranger Film Sales

Cannes, France

Photos

Alisa Kovalenko

The films of the Ukrainian documentary filmmaker and activist Alisa in Warland and Home Games have won multiple awards. Her teenage adventure documentary We Will Not Fade Away, set in the war-torn Donbas region, premiered in the Berlinale Generation section in 2023. After the Russian invasion, she fought on the front line before returning to filmmaking with the documentary My Dear Theo in 2025. She is a former captive and survivor of conflict-related sexual violence and, as a member of SEMA Ukraine, is an active advocate for victims of sexual violence and for human rights.

Filmography (selection)

2015 Alisa w krainie wojny (Alisa in Warland); documentary, co-directed by Lyubov Durakova 2018 Home Games; documentary 2023 We Will Not Fade Away; documentary, Berlinale 2023 · Girl Away from Home; short documentary, co-directed by Simon Lereng Wilmont 2025 My Dear Theo; documentary 2026 Traces; documentary, co-directed by Marysia Nikitiuk, Berlinale 2026

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2026

Marysia Nikitiuk

After graduating from the Karpenko-Karyi National University in Kyiv, the filmmaker began working as a screenwriter in 2012. Her short films have screened at film festivals including Locarno, Clermont-Ferrand and the Cairo International Film Festival. Her debut feature film, When the Trees Fall, premiered in the Berlinale Panorama. She co-wrote the script for Evge by Nariman Aliev which premiered at Cannes in 2019. Since April 2023, she has been working with the "Voices of Children" foundation to deliver storytelling courses with elements of art therapy for children and adolescents affected by the war.

Filmography (selection)

2014 In Trees; short film 2015 Mandrake; short film 2016 Rabies: Skaz; short film 2018 Koly padayut dereva (When the Trees Fall); Berlinale 2018 2022 Lucky Girl 2026 Traces; documentary, co-directed by Alisa Kovalenko, Berlinale 2026

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2026