УКР Leleka Foundation is proud to support the U.S. and international premiere of the powerful Ukrainian documentary, Flowers Beyond the Dark, which has been selected to compete in the Best International Documentary Feature Film category at the Carmel International Film Festival. The screening will take place on Tuesday, October 3, 2025, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.
While the Leleka Foundation is committed to providing critical medical supplies to frontline medics in Ukraine, we also recognize the importance of raising global awareness about the war. This film offers a crucial glimpse into the human experience of the conflict, helping to share stories that might otherwise go untold.
“As a Ukrainian and Ukrainian advocate in US I believe it’s vital to support independent filmmakers, especially women directors, who are courageously documenting brutal Ukrainian reality. These films carry the human stories of war that news headlines can’t capture”, says Svitlana Kostylova, a co-founder of Leleka. “By championing their work, we not only preserve the truth of Ukraine’s experience but also strengthen the global community of independent cinema, where creativity and human stories are valued over commercial interests.”
Directed by Iryna Pravylo and produced by Yulia Zi, with striking imagery from cinematographer Oleksandr Meshcheriakov, Flowers Beyond the Dark captures the resilience of the Kyiv region. From the stillness of occupation to the first signs of renewal, the documentary reveals the strength of the human spirit amidst immense loss.
Set in the early days of the full-scale invasion, the documentary follows Natalia and Serhiy, two artists separated by occupation, as they lose contact. Defenders who guard the “road of life,” securing the evacuation of civilians to Kyiv and further west. Priest Andriy Halavin is tending to the region’s first mass burials on the territory of his church. Almost daily he welcomes international delegations to share evidence of Russia’s atrocities while continuing to be the source of healing for locals who survived the occupation.
