by Alex Billington
February 14, 2023
Source: YouTube
"Every child leaves a lasting mark on the shelter's worn out walls." There is a new official trailer available for an indie documentary film titled A House Made of Splinters, from Danish director Simon Lereng Wilmont. This Danish-Swedish-Ukrainian co-production first premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival last year, and stopped by numerous other festivals throughout the year. It's now nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary category this year - a prestigious achievement. A House Made of Splinters is about a Ukrainian orphanage / home for kids. It focuses on the children & staff in a special kind of home: an institution for children who have been removed from their homes while awaiting court custody decisions. Staff do their best to make the time children have there safe and supportive. Reviews say the film is "full of almost intolerably cold, hard truths about what happens to little ones when society is fractured." See below.
New US trailer (+ poster) for Simon Lereng Wilmont's doc A House Made of Splinters, from YouTube:
"We are honoured and humbled by the nomination for A House Made of Splinters. It is wonderful that the kids’ story has touched so many people and we hope it will continue to touch the hearts of audiences around the world. Thank you to Margarita, Olga, Eva, Alina, and Sasha for their bravery in telling their extraordinary stories and giving us the privilege of sharing them. Thank you to Final Cut For Real, Moonman, Arte, POV, BBC, Cinephil, and the entire international crew. We are incredibly proud to be working with all of you. Without you, there would be no film." –Director Simon Lereng Wilmont
This award-winning, Academy Award-nominated documentary film presents the stories of children living at a special orphanage in eastern Ukraine. The heroes of the tape were also several educators who, in the conditions of the war with Russia, are trying to create a safe space for children near the front line. While children are being cared for, adult children are in danger. At this time, state authorities and courts decide the further fate of children. A House Made of Splinters is directed by the Danish doc filmmaker Simon Lereng Wilmont, director of the films Traveling with Mr. T, The Distant Barking of Dogs, and Graine de Champion previously. Produced by Monica Hellström (Flee). This initially premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival last year, and it also played at DOC NYC in the fall. The film is also nominated for an Academy Award this year. No US release date is set yet - stay tuned for updates. Anyone interested in watching this?