Lightdox at Berlinale 2024
Celebrating the World Premiere of Oksana Karpovych’s INTERCEPTED
It is with great excitement that we gear up to go to Berlin for this year’s European Film Market at the Berlin International Film Festival. We are proud to present the World Premiere of Oksana Karpovych‘s powerful feature documentary INTERCEPTED, nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Award, in the Forum Section.
The Premiere will be held on February 17, 19:00 at Zoo Palast 2, in the presence of director Oksana Karpovych and the production team.
In Intercepted, sound and image stare each other in the face as Oksana Karpovych contrasts quiet compositions of everyday life of Ukrainians since the full-scale invasion with intercepted phone conversations between Russian soldiers and their families.
Ukrainian intelligence services have intercepted thousands of phone calls Russian soldiers made from the battlefield in Ukraine to their families and friends in Russia, painting a stark picture of the cruelty of war in a dizzying emotional tension. Juxtaposed with images of the destruction caused by the invasion and the day-to-day life of the Ukrainian people who resist and rebuild, the voices of the Russian soldiers – ranging from being filled with heroic illusions to complete disappointment and loss of reason, from looting to committing more horrible war crimes, from propaganda to doubt and disillusionment – expose the whole scope of the dehumanizing power of war and imperialist nature of the Russian aggression.
Anna Berthollet, CEO of Lightdox, comments: “We discovered the project a couple of years ago during the EURODOC workshop, where Oksana’s artistic vision instantly captivated us. At Lighdox, we hold a special appreciation for films where not only does the story resonate strongly, but the filmmaker’s creative influence is equally compelling, and this project exemplifies that harmonious blend beautifully. This poignant film offers a stark portrayal of the brutality of conflict. Seamlessly weaving together shattered landscapes and the resilient spirit of the Ukrainian people, the filmmaker’s creative vision unveils a tapestry of emotions – from heroic illusions to shocking war crimes. “Intercepted” is a compelling testament to the filmmaker’s artistry, capturing the raw essence of human struggle in the face of unimaginable violence. We are thrilled to present this exceptional work of art to a global audience, introducing it to viewers, industry professionals, and critics in Berlin and beyond.”
Intercepted is produced by Rocío B. Fuentes and Giacomo Nudi for Canadian outfit Les Films Cosmos in coproduction with Pauline Tran Van Lieu and Lucie Rego for Hutong Productions (France) and Darya Bassel and Olha Beskhmelnytsina for Moon Man Productions (Ukraine).
The film received financial support from ARTE France, SODEC, Telefilm Canada, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, CNC, Visions Sud Est and Chicken & Egg Pictures, with the support of Post-Moderne and Women Make Movies.
The project took part in various markets, labs and forums, including DokFest Munich with the RIDM – Coproduction Documentaire Québec-Bavière initiative, EuroDoc 2022, SODEC Lab Immersion Cannes 2022, Sheffield DocFest Meet Market 2022, CPH:DOX Forum 2023 and Hot Docs Forum 2023, where it won the CMF-Hot Docs Forum Canadian Best Pitch Prize.
We hope to see you in Berlin!