17th OIFF Announces the International Competition Program
The 17th Odesa International Film Festival (August 27 – September 4, Kyiv) presents its International Competition Program, featuring full-length films from Europe, North America, and South America. This year’s selection brings together works by directors exploring women’s destinies across different eras. The stories included in the program examine the emotional experiences of women in various parts of the world, portraying them not only as strong and courageous, but also as sensitive and loving.
Within the competition program, the international jury will determine the winner of the Best International Feature Film award, whose director will receive the festival’s main prize — the Golden Duke statuette. In addition, among the films in the National and International Competition Programs, the winner of the festival’s Grand Prix will be selected through audience voting. The winner will also receive the Golden Duke statuette and a cash prize of UAH 75,000.
“Brat” (Brother), 2025, Poland, Czech Republic, dir. Maciej Sobieszczański
A story about a woman and a family facing challenges in a world of violence, unfulfilled ambitions, and growing chaos. Fourteen-year-old Dawid takes care of his younger brother and tries to meet the expectations of his mother, who is determined to break free from a toxic past and start a new life without her imprisoned husband. Despite his talent and strength of character, the boy finds it increasingly difficult to maintain control over his daily life, torn between school, home, and the streets. The situation becomes even more complicated when Konrad enters their lives — the only adult Dawid truly trusts. This is only the beginning of a series of turbulent events that may ultimately either destroy this family or save it.
“Black Money for White Nights” (Cherni pari za beli noshti), 2025, Bulgaria, Greece, dir. Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov
Marina (60), a midwife, and her husband Gosha, a railway dispatcher, have spent years collecting small bribes to afford a trip to Saint Petersburg during the White Nights season. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sudden disappearance of the travel agency’s office (along with their savings) shatter all their dreams, as well as their illusion of control over life. The lies that sustained their marriage come to the surface, and the couple sets out in search of traces of their own dignity.
“A Second Life”, 2025, France, dir. Laurent Slama
Paris. July 2024. Elizabeth, an American woman exhausted by the isolation caused by her hearing impairment, takes any job she can find in order to secure a visa extension. While working as an Airbnb concierge, she meets a Californian client named Elijah, and thus begins a great adventure of crossing the city and searching for a place within it. The film was shot during the Paris Olympic Games.
“Invisibles”, 2025, Canada, dir. Jeanne Chiff
Elizabeth, a burlesque performer and sex worker, loves her job, but years of keeping her profession secret force her to consider change. One of her clients turns out to be a man with a disability. This encounter opens up a new world for Elizabeth and encourages her to rethink sexuality and the needs of people with disabilities, their visibility in society, and, at the same time, the visibility of sex workers.
“Ungrateful Beings” (Nevděčné bytosti), 2025, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Poland, France, Slovakia, Croatia, dir. Olmo Omerzu
During a holiday on the Adriatic coast, David desperately tries to reconnect with his children, who live with their mother, while 17-year-old Klara struggles with an eating disorder. Falling in love with a local boy restores her appetite, until he is forced into hiding due to police suspicions of murder. Exhausted, the girl ends up in hospital, while her parents find themselves in a situation where any method of saving her seems justified.
“Cloistered Sister” (Sorelle di clausura), 2025, Romania, Serbia, Italy, Spain, dir. Ivana Mladenović
If you want something badly enough, the whole Universe will be on your side, right? Stella, educated but unable to keep a job, falls in love with a famous Balkan musician after seeing him on television. This passion turns into an obsession that takes over her life, and now she must meet him. One of the musician’s alleged lovers, Vera, an aspiring musician herself, promises to help Stella meet her idol and, moreover, to rescue her from her poor rural life. Their two worlds collide when Vera brings Stella to Bucharest, where she runs a company selling sex toys and lubricants.
“Feels Like Home” (Itt érzem magam otthon), 2025, Hungary, dir. Gábor Holtai
Rita, an ordinary but lonely woman, becomes the victim of a kidnapping. Her abductors, the Arpad family, are convinced that she is not Rita but Szilvi, a girl who once ran away from their family. Eventually, Rita realizes that the only way to escape is to become the person they believe her to be. As she assumes another identity, she learns more and more about the Arpad family and comes to understand that her own life is at stake.
“Hot Water”, 2026, USA, dir. Ramzi Bashour
An odyssey of a Lebanese mother and her American son who set out on a road trip across the United States to visit his father. The journey reveals both the differences and the bonds between them, while the poetic visual style of Ramzi Bashour’s feature debut questions established notions of home and belonging against the backdrop of America’s vast landscapes.
“Heysel 85”, 2026, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, dir. Teodora Ana Mihai
Before the 1985 European Cup Final, clashes erupt between Liverpool and Juventus supporters. Brussels’ Heysel Stadium descends into chaos: people die in the stands, while in the offices beneath them, the mayor’s daughter and a journalist find themselves at the center of a dilemma — whether to follow professional protocol or their own humanity.
“Moscas” (Flies), 2026, Mexico, dir. Fernando Eimbcke
In an apartment building opposite a large hospital, Olga leads a strictly regulated life with no attachments whatsoever. Financial difficulties, however, force the elderly woman to rent out a room in her apartment to a stranger, setting in motion an unexpected friendship with the tenant’s nine-year-old son. Against Olga’s wishes and plans, her carefully controlled world gradually begins to change.
“Tell Everyone” (Kerro kaikille), 2026, Finland, dir. Alli Haapasalo
Southern Finland, 1898. Amanda, a rebellious adventurer, is sent to a sanatorium island where “troublesome” women are confined. Deprived of her freedom, she must adapt to life in captivity. Her unsuccessful escape attempts bring her closer to the other girls. Amanda even falls in love with a local fisherman, but the divide between the patients and the island’s residents seems impossible to overcome.
“Tell Me What You Feel” (Powiedz mi, co czujesz), 2026, Poland, dir. Łukasz Ronduda
Patryk, a young artist from a poor family, discovers an art project that allows people to exchange tears for złotys. Surrounded by the crying of others, he cannot shed a single tear himself — and meets Maria, the project’s founder, an art therapist from a wealthy family. A relationship develops between them, filled with conversations about trauma, fears, and parents. Where it all leads is revealed in this film by the curator of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, based on a true story.
“The Bitch” (La Perra), 2026, Chile, Brazil, dir. Dominga Sotomayor
On a remote, windswept island off the coast of Chile, Silvia makes a living harvesting seaweed and leads a peaceful life with her partner. The arrival of a stray puppy named Yuri fills her days with light. But when the dog suddenly disappears, Silvia is forced to confront her childhood trauma once again. The film’s four-legged star, Yuri — a rescue dog — won the Palm Dog Award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and has since found a new family.
“Three Days in September” (3 zile în septembrie), 2026, Romania, dir. Tudor Giurgiu
The groom’s mistress crashes the wedding preparations, forcing a shocked Bianca to flee everything and embark on a solitary journey through a seaside resort town in the off-season. A tourist train carries her away from her former life toward a night of rebellion, unexpected encounters, and adventure. By the first rays of sunlight, a new vision of her future awaits her. The film is directed by the founder and president of the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF).
Festival passes for the 17th Odesa International Film Festival can be purchased at:
https://new.oiff.com.ua/choose-your-pass-2026
The Odesa International Film Festival is supported by:
Ukrainian State Film Agency
Ukrainian Cultural Foundation
General Partner - Work.ua
General Alcohol Sponsor - ARARAT
General Partner Film Industry Office - UPHub
Film Industry Office Partner - Cinema Sound UA Production
Film Industry Office Partner - Tabor Film Company
General Media Partner - 1+1 Media
General Information Partner - Starlight Media
Media Partner - ICTV2 TV Channel
Media Partner - 1+1 Ukraine TV Channel
Creative Partner - Starlight Creative Agency
Media Partner - MEGOGO
Information Partner - Kyivstar TV
PR Partner - NAME PR
Educational Partner - KSE (Kyiv School of Economics)
Lifestyle Partner - JetSetter.ua
Fashion Partner - Harpers Bazaar
Official beauty partner of the OIFF ceremonies BACKSTAGE
Partner — “Children of Heroes” Charity Fund
Partner — VETERANKA movement
Partner — 8th Corps of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Partner — TA Ventures
Partner — ICLUB
Supported by
Delegation of the European Union in Ukraine
Polish Institute in Kyiv
German Films
Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine
Official locations of the film festival
Partner location — Parkovy: KVC Parkovy — a world-class event location complex in the very center of Kyiv
Cinema “Zhovten”
Cinema “Oscar”
