Children in the Fire Honored at Raindance Film Festival

We are proud to share that Children in the Fire received a Jury Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Feature at the 2025 Raindance Film Festival in London.

The film screened on June 20, 2025, followed by a moving Q&A moderated by broadcaster and film critic Ashanti Omkar, with director Evgeny Afineevsky and several of the remarkable young heroes featured in the film.

Celebrating the human spirit, Children in the Fire shines a light on Ukrainian children whose resilience, strength, and courage in the face of war have become an inspiration to the world. These stories of survival and dignity show how even in the darkest of times, hope can endure.

Critics at Raindance praised the film’s powerful mix of live action and animation, drawing comparisons to Richard Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly and Ari Folman’s Waltz With Bashir. Reviewer Dan MacCannell wrote:

“This remarkable documentary… makes it clear that although the abductions [of Ukrainian children] are programmatic and supported at the highest levels of the Russian state, they are not necessarily a one-way ticket. As Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska puts it… each child can be rescued through ‘months of effort by hundreds of people.’”

Through the voices of children who have endured abductions, bombings, and life-altering injuries — and yet continue to dream, run, dance, and inspire — the film reminds us what is at stake and why their stories matter.

Receiving recognition from Raindance is a profound honor, affirming the importance of bringing these children’s experiences to international audiences.