GROWING UP FAR FROM WAR

FR / 2026 / 52’ / HD / French, English

French Connection / France Televisions / France 24 / Directed by Frédéric Jacovlev

Worldwide rights available

TAGS

Ukraine, War, Refugees, Exile, Teenagers, Youth, Displacement, Migration, Integration, Identity, Family, France, Germany, Kharkiv

SYNOPSIS

Mark, Arina and Ivan grew up together in the same neighbourhood of Kharkiv. They were around twelve when war broke out. Uprooted from their everyday lives, they were forced apart: Mark now lives in France, Arina in Germany, while Ivan remains in Ukraine. In just four years, their lives have been transformed and the bonds between them profoundly shaken.

This film tells the story of their long-distance friendship, their resilience in the face of separation, and their quiet struggle to keep believing in a future. Three fragile lives, three young voices offering a different perspective on what it means to grow up when the world is falling apart.