The animated film “I Died in Irpin” by Ukrainian director Anastasia Falileeva has received a prestigious award at the International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand (France).

“I Died in Irpin”: Best Animation 2025

The film triumphed in the “Best International Animation - 2025” category.

“On February 24, 2022, my boyfriend and I left Kyiv for Irpin. We spent ten days in the besieged city and managed to escape with the last evacuation convoy. Time passes, but I still feel like I died in Irpin”, − Falileeva recounts.

The International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand is considered one of the most prestigious in the world.

What is the film “I Died in Irpin” about?

“I Died in Irpin” is a personal reflection by the director on the ten days she spent in Irpin at the beginning of the full-scale war. The film highlights experiences of violence in her relationship and her interactions with her boyfriend's family.

This animated work is drawn with charcoal, symbolizing the fragility of her memories.

“For me, that time in occupation felt like ten endless days merging into one. I could hardly remember what we did on which day, recalling only fragments. Unfortunately, not all of them made it into the film, but the key moments remained”, − stressed Falileeva in an interview with Suspilne Culture.