News

Foreign Root is a tale of hope, a glimpse into what’s possible when we come together in love, companionship and togetherness in defiance of the agonising, destructive events that are taking place across the world. Created by award-winning multi-dn alum director Andzej Gavriss in collaboration with acclaimed Ukrainian pop star Ivan Dorn – a potent partnership which previously brought us creative crisis short Eleusis – and produced by Shelter, Foreign Root is a thought-provoking short that explores the refugee experience through a positive lens without deminishing the dire life threatening circumstances those caught up in forced migration have to contend with every day. The story throws us into the heart of a Georgian family torn apart when two brothers flee towards France, leaving their mother behind who entrusts them with a small bag of seeds – a powerful totem which does dual service as a reminder of what has been lost and hope for the future.

While I can confidently say for all of us who make up the team here at Directors Notes that the daily mix of watching and curating films is a constant joy, what really makes the work that we do each and every day at Dn special is getting to speak to the filmmakers behind our favourite pieces of cinema. 2022 was a bumper year for those conversations, with filmmakers generously taking us deep into their processes; from new filmmakers who have appeared as exciting fresh voices on the scene, to regular Dn alums whose project-to-project development as artists we’ve tracked closely on our pages, to filmmakers we haven’t seen for over a decade making triumphant returns with some of their most vital work to date. Last year we continued to scout out new gems from film festivals around the globe with the continuation of our popular Best of Fest collections,...

The last project by Stink Films Director Andzej Gavriss that we featured was a his defiant (and now multi-award winning) LGBTQ music video We Will Become Better, which told the story of two men in Russia who are forced apart because of the country’s homophobic laws yet remained together spiritually. His latest film Uprooted continues in this humanitarian interest, this time centring on the Ukrainian refugee experience of Ptsd. Gavriss conveys the horrifying nature of this trauma through its sensorial tactility, highlighting how war lives on in the minds of those who’ve experienced it. It’s a deeply moving short in which 60 Ukrainian refugees were involved across all aspects of production. Dn joined Gavriss for a conversation about his ongoing intentions for Uprooted, the decision to focus the film around the sensory experience of Ptsd, and the creative involvement of refugees that underpinned the entire artistic process.

What...

Short Film

Ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20, Unhcr, the Un Refugee Agency has released “Uprooted,” a powerful short film featuring and made by Ukrainian refugees now living in Germany. The film shows loud noises – a door slamming, the sirens of an ambulance, the bangs of a firework display – and how they can trigger terrifying memories of war. Some 50 refugees from Ukraine, including writers, choreographers, designers, casting producers, styling assistants, set dressing, make up, music and all the talent featured in the film, were involved in the project.

“Uprooted”, released Monday on Unhcr’s social media platforms, is being shown in select cinemas across the U.K. It was directed by Stink Films’ Andzej Gavriss who wrote the concept with Ukrainian choreographer, Konstantin Koval and Don’t Panic London’s creative partner, Rick Dodds. Production took place in Berlin, Germany.

Unhcr spokesperson, Joung-Ah Ghedini-Williams said: “The Ukrainian refugee cast...