Animated Film about War Experiences
The animated film “I Died in Irpin” by Ukrainian director Anastasia Falileeva has received an award at the International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand (France).
“I Died in Irpin”: Best Animation of 2025
The film triumphed in the category of “Best International Animation - 2025”.
“On February 24, 2022, my boyfriend and I left Kyiv for Irpin. We spent ten days in the besieged city and managed to evacuate with the last convoy. Time passes, but since then I have felt like I died in Irpin,” Falileeva recounts.
The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival is one of the most prestigious in the world.
What is the film “I Died in Irpin” about?
“I Died in Irpin” is a personal reflection of the director on the 10 days she spent in Irpin at the beginning of the full-scale war. The film highlights her experiences of violence in her relationship with her boyfriend and her interactions with his family.
This animated piece is created using charcoal. The author explains that this material is as fragile as her memories.
“For me, that time in occupation felt like 10 endless days that merged into one. I could barely recall what we did on this day or that day; I only remember certain moments. Unfortunately, not all of them made it into the film, but the key ones remained,” Falileeva emphasized in an interview with Suspilne Culture.
