In late October, a tour for the documentary film *Traces*—Ukraine’s submission for the 99th Academy Awards (Oscars)—will begin in the United States. Directed by Alisa Kovalenko and Marysia Nikitiuk, the film will be screened at various film festivals and special events for American audiences. It tells the stories of Ukrainian women who survived sexual violence and torture during the Russian aggression and are now seeking justice.
This was reported by TRACES Film.
In late October, the Ukrainian documentary Traces will embark on a tour across the United States. The screenings are part of the film’s Oscar campaign and initiatives aimed at drawing attention to Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine.
American audiences will have the opportunity to learn about the experiences of women who survived sexual violence and torture as a result of Russian aggression. The film focuses not only on the testimonies of the survivors but also on their mutual support, their fight for justice, and their efforts to reclaim their voices following their traumatic experiences.
The film was created by Ukrainian directors Alisa Kovalenko and Marysia Nikitiuk. Its central figure, Iryna Dovhan—a former captive—documents the accounts of women who suffered abuse in de-occupied territories of Ukraine and helps them connect with one another.
The U.S. tour is part of the film’s broader international campaign. In October, Kovalenko and Dovhan visited Paris, where screenings and meetings with invited guests and representatives of film academies took place from October 12 to 16. One of the screenings was attended by French philosopher, documentarian, and war correspondent Bernard-Henri Lévy.
Background
In September, the Ukrainian Oscar Committee selected Traces as the national entry for the 99th Academy Awards. The film is contending for the award in the Best International Feature Film category.
In October, the film received the Checkpoints Award at the Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF) in Norway. This distinction is presented to documentaries focused on human rights. The jury commended the film for its deeply compassionate and cinematic portrayal of survival, community, and resistance.
Traces also won an award at the Unlimited Hope Film Festival in Bochum, Germany, where it was named Best Feature-Length Documentary.
In February 2026, at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), the film won the Audience Award in the Panorama Dokumente section. Additionally, it received the Jury Grand Prix in the documentary competition at the Movies That Matter festival in the Netherlands.
In Berlin, the film was presented as part of the Ukrainian Film Festival Berlin, an event established to promote Ukrainian cinema in Germany.
Photo: TRACES Film
Author: Danylo Pievchev