About

“Mariinka” begins long before the world watched the full-scale invasion. In eastern Ukraine, the film traces several young Ukrainians whose lives have been forever shaped by more than ten years of war and conflict in the Donbas region.

Amidst the war a promising boxing talent turns military paramedic, a girl is smuggling unexpected goods across the frontline to survive, and as in a Greek tragedy, two brothers now fight on opposite sides of the front line—against each other—while their youngest brother lives in safety far from the war with a foster family in the United States. Through letters, video calls and silent meetings, a story unfolds about belonging, national loyalty and the fault lines where political conflicts can trump even the bonds of blood.

“Mariinka” carries an almost biblical resonance, portraying the slow disappearance of a city and the resilience of those who once called it home.

Details

“Mariinka”, dir. Pieter-Jan de Pue, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, 2026, 95 min.

July 4, 2026, 13.30–15.05, the Old Theatre in Lublin, Jezuicka 18

Admission free