Katya is a young woman who works as a welder. Abandoned as a little girl, she embarks on a personal journey to reunite with her lost family – to weld it back together, just like she welds metal at work. Despite the pain and disappointment she experiences along the way, Katya’s love for her little half-sister drives her to protect the child’s fragile world from a harsh reality.
With its evocative visuals and intimate storytelling, the film sheds light on the invisible drama that many children growing up in dysfunctional families get caught up in. Welded Together is a powerful and socially significant documentary about a difficult choice with no right answer, depicting love that is willing to make sacrifices for those we hold most dear.
SCREENINGS & AWARDS
World Premiere: Sheffield DocFest – International Competition 2025
2025 Shanghai IFF (Asian Premiere)
2025 Galway Film Fleadh
2025 Lemesos Int’l Documentary Festival
2025 Mediterranean Film Festival
2025 Yamagata IDFF
2025 Hot Springs DFF
2025 DOK Leipzig
2025 IDFA
2025 Festival du film d’éducation
2025 Watch Docs
2026 Trieste Film Festival
2026 Budapest International Documentary Festival
Upcoming: Artdocfest/Riga (Feb. 28 – March 8)
AWARDS
- Grand Jury Award in the International Competition at Sheffield DocFest 2025
“A portrait of resilience and strength — both of the main character and of a community that stands in solidarity. … An honest and delicate portrayal of a young woman desperately trying to hold her family “welded together”.”
Jury Statement, Grand Jury Award in the International Competition at Sheffield DocFest 2025
- Grand Prix of Mediterranean Film Festival 2025
The film captivates with its powerful and emotional story of Katya, a young woman whose daily physical labour is intertwined with her inner struggles and attempts to protect her younger sister. The author created a universal piece that transcends a personal story and becomes a metaphor for the fight for dignity and the future, through precise direction and a touching portrait of female strength, resistance and love. Brilliantly composed shots and visual consistency further elevate the film, giving it the strength and beauty that makes it worthy of the Grand Prix.
Jury Statement, Grand Prix of Mediterranean Film Festival 2025
- MDR Film Prize at DOK Leipzig 2025
“Welded Together” tells the story of Katya, a young welder. With great sensitivity, it follows her attempts to reunite her family. The film impresses with its quiet, deeply human storytelling. With great empathy it unfolds a universal story of strength, care, and responsibility. It avoids drama, gaining emotional power precisely through its subtlety. What begins as an intimate observation becomes a moving testament to human solidarity and social connection — an example of what documentary storytelling can achieve at its very best.”
Jury Statement, MDR Film Prize at DOK Leipzig 2025
- Grand Prix at the Traces de Vies Documentary Film Festival 2025
- Alpe Adria Cinema Award for Best Documentary in competition at Trieste Film Festival 2026
“The award goes to a film craft masterclass which, despite being an observational documentary, tells a story that feels stranger than fiction, with characters that feel larger than life. Welded Together is a unique, captivating and deeply moving work. With this film, Anastasiya Miroshnichenko establishes herself as a strong new voice to pay attention to in future”.
Jury Statement, Alpe Adria Cinema Award for Best Documentary in competition at Trieste Film Festival 2026
- Special Mention, section In your hands – the future of your family, at Budapest International Documentary Festival 2026
PRESS
Reviews: Docu-Yama Live, Moviebreak, Documentary Magazine, Eye for Film, The People’s Movies, Film Carnage, Real Screen, Cineuropa, Eye for Film, Business Doc Europe, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, Business Doc Europe, High on Films, Variety – Acquisition Announcement
***
“A beautifully shot examination of the troubled life of a young welder in modern-day Belarus trying to unite her fractured family against all the odds, Welded Together plays out like a narrative drama, but with a greater sense of emotional resonance, and made with a real sense of heart and compassion.”
Mark Adams, Business Doc Europe
“A gently powerful story of survival, sacrifice and sisterhood.”
“Beautifully shot by Pavel Romanenya, and made with a real sense of heart and compassion by director Anastasiya Miroshnichenko it astutely tackles responsibility, forgiveness, sisterhood and love all in the face of having to make tough decisions and emotionally brutal sacrifices.”
*
“A work of searing honesty, delivering its weary, bruised realisations with a gut punch.”
Debanjan Dhar, High on Films
“This is a film about the impossible faith one often places in love, even when it has long harmed them.”
*
“Hard-hitting and raw, the emotions strike so deeply that it’s shattering to watch at times.”
Film Carnage
“You won’t forget this one anytime soon, it is intensely affecting.”
DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY
Anastasiya Miroshnichenko
Anastasiya Miroshnichenko graduated from the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, where she studied documentary filmmaking. Her first documentary feature, “Crossroads” (2014), is a philosophical story about a homeless artist. It premiered at the 30th Warsaw International Film Festival, winning the Special Mention Jury Award and the Audience Award. Her second documentary feature, “Debut” (2017), is an intimate look at the lives of imprisoned women in Belarus. The film premiered at the 30th IDFA and was selected as Belarus’s official submission for the Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Her most recent film, “Welded Together” (2025), tells a moving story of sisterly love that goes beyond typical family dynamics, exploring the sacrifices we make for our loved ones. The film premiered at the 32nd Sheffield DocFest, winning the Grand Jury Award (Academy Award accredited). Anastasiya’s films have been screened at numerous international festivals and broadcast on major TV channels around the world. Her documentaries are marked by a strong visual language and a sense of closeness to the characters, allowing the audience to experience the world through their eyes.
Filmography
Crossroads, 2014 | 65 min
Debut, 2017 | 80 min
Welded Together, 2025 | 96 min
CREDITS
Director Anastasiya Miroshnichenko
Cinematography Pavel Romanenya
Editing Kasia Boniecka, Stanislav Kalilaska
Composer Rui Reis Maia
Sound design Lex Krutz
Sound mix Jan Schermer
Colour grading Nicolas Duval
Producers Valerie Montmartin, Raphael Pelissou
Production company Little Big Story
Co-production Iris Lammertsma & Babet Touw (Witfilm); Anton Iffland Stettner & Eva Kuperman (Stenola Productions)
With the participation of
France Télévisions
In association with
BBC Storyville
In co-production with
RTBF Télévision Belge
SUPPORTED BY
IDFA Bertha Fund
The Netherlands Film Fund
Centre national du cinéma
et de l’image animée (CNC)
La PROCIREP – Société des producteurs
et l’ANGOA
PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY
Valerie Montmartin
Valérie Montmartin is an eclectic film lover who categorically refuses to be pigeonholed. She produces documentaries, animation, immersive films, and fiction, with a specialisation in international co-productions. Her strong presence at markets and festivals highlights her expertise and dedication.
Valérie enjoys production adventures and is a strong advocate of young writers and directors. In another life, she was a journalist, and she continues to champion both political and poetic projects.
Founder and the inspiration of LITTLE BIG STORY, she is also the boss. Elected member of SPI (Union of independent producers), and UNIFRANCE. She is an elected member of SPI (Union of Independent Producers) and UNIFRANCE. Valérie was honoured with the Best French Documentary Producer (Procirep-Angoa, France, 2018) and is a graduate of EURODOC (2015) and EAVE (2020).
Raphaël Pelissou
Raphaël Pelissou is a passionate aficionado of American cinema, with the ability to dissect Michael Mann’s films shot by shot. His love for film also extends deeply into the realm of documentary cinema.
Often referred to as “the man you can’t do anything without,” Raphaël is a true wizard and the Swiss Army knife of international co-productions. He is the backbone of the entire production team and a trusted partner for creative and technical teams alike.
As a founding partner and producer, Raphaël oversees production management for LITTLE BIG STORY and its affiliated companies (LBS LAB, LBS PICTURES, HEAT, LDM EDITIONS).
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Little Big Story was founded in Paris in 2014 by producer Valérie Montmartin. Raphaël Pelissou serves as an associate producer responsible for co-productions, production management, and financial and legal oversight. The company produces content across various genres, specialising in international co-productions, that includes documentaries, animation, fiction, and immersive films.
The company is driven by the belief that small stories can make great narratives. Little Big Story is dedicated to creating high-value content distinguished by its writing and style, and maintains high cinematic standards. This commitment earned the company international recognition, with its projects and films being selected for pitch sessions and showcased at major film festivals, TV and VOD. The company aims to conquer new spaces and new markets in a changing audiovisual world. In 2018, Little Big Story’s founder was honoured as the Best French Documentary Producer of the year by Procirep-Angoa, France. Little Big Story reaches broad audiences both in France and internationally with projects that resonate in both form and substance.
Little Big Story
3, villa des Lilas – 75019
Paris, France
+33 1 84 79 20 50
info@lbstory.fr
www.littlebigstory.fr
CO-PRODUCTION COMPANY
Witfilm is an award-winning production company based in Amsterdam, specialising in creative, socially engaged, and youth-focused documentaries, as well as arthouse fiction films. Led by director and creative producer Boudewijn Koole and producer Iris Lammertsma, Witfilm stands out in content development, merging personal stories with socially relevant and timely topics. Witfilm productions are intense, innovative and intimate. They challenge the way we view the world by showing us multiple perspectives and dealing with subjects that are thought-provoking at all times.
Witfilm creates films through inspiring and fruitful co-productions with national and international broadcasters, producers and funds. By making high quality and visually powerful films of artistic nature Witfilm aims at contributing to a thriving film sector globally. Witfilm co-produces both nationally and internationally. Many of Witfilm’s films have been nominated for awards like Rose d’Or, Tiger Award and IDFA (several competitions) or have won awards like the International Emmy Award, FIPRESCI, Prix Europa, Golden Calf and Prix Italia.
Witfilm
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 63,
1012 DB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
+31(0)20 6885049
info@witfilm.nl
www.witfilm.nl
Stenola Productions was founded in Brussels in 2009 by Anton Iffland Stettner and Eva Kuperman. The company is driven by a commitment to support both Belgian and international filmmakers in their creation of fiction and documentary works.
Our focus is on producing ambitious and original feature films with a strong, distinctive point of view and a genuine desire to connect with and resonate with audiences. Our mission includes supporting gifted creators and, in some cases, initiating projects. Stenola Productions collaborates with co-producers, broadcasters, and funding bodies across Europe.
Stenola Productions
9A Rue des Chartreux – 1000
Brussels, Belgium
+32 2 503 34 51
info@stenola.com
www.stenola.be
