The Cinema for Peace & Democracy Gala 2026 - celebrated with honorary chairwoman Hillary Clinton the most valuable films of the year. (Berlin, February 16, 2026)
Berlin - February 16, 2026
"Children in the Fire” documentry and Oscar and Emmy-nominated director Evgeny Afineevsky have been awarded the Cinema for Peace Dove for the Most Valuable Documentary of the year.
The prestigious award was presented in Berlin by former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the organisation's annual awards ceremony. Afineevsky was joined at the event by Roman, who is featured in the film, and together they received a standing ovation from the entire auditorium. In a heartfelt gesture, Afineevsky presented Clinton with a scarf featuring drawings from the children’s war diaries, which she wore throughout the evening, highlighting the human connection at the heart of the film.
At just eleven years old, Roman Oleksiv - a young Ukranian child hero, was awarded a Cinema for Peace Honorary Dove, for featuring in the documentary.
"The Cinema for Peace Dove for The Most Valuable Documentary of the Year”
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CHILDREN IN THE FIRE by Evgeny Afineevsky.
This year's winner brings audiences to the frontlines of Ukraine with shattering urgency. Director Evgeny Afineevsky accepted the award alongside Roman Oleksiv, the 11-year-old boy featured in the film - injured in a Russian missile strike on a hospital that also killed his mother, and who was subsequently operated on in Germany. His presence on the stage transformed the abstract horror of war into something unbearably, humanly real.
Roman Oleksiv - "Children want to dream, children want to go to school, children want to be happy, but war destroys everything. I am here today to ask you to stand for Ukrainian children, to stand for Ukraine.”
In a deeply moving gesture, Director Afineevsky presented Secretary Hillary Clinton with a scarf from Ukraine adorned with children's drawings about the same fire Roman survived. Clinton, who has said that artists and filmmakers help light the road toward a more just and peaceful world, received the gift as what it was - a message carried from the children of Ukraine to the conscience of the world.
Director Afineevsky presented Secretary Clinton with a scarf with children's drawings - small hands, small visions, born from the same fire Roman survived.
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