Traces

Traces celebrated its world premiere at the 2026 Berlinale in the Panorama Dokumente section, where it won the Panorama Audience Award. Ukraine has also selected the film as its official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.

The film focuses on Ukrainian women who have survived sexual violence and torture during Russia’s war of aggression and refuse to remain silent. It follows Iryna Dovhan, a survivor turned activist who documents the testimonies of affected women in the liberated territories of Ukraine. Through her story, the film creates a portrait of collective trauma while also opening up a space for hope.

Iryna brings survivors together in a circle of courage and care. Together, they transform their pain into strength in the struggle for truth, justice and mutual support. Traces is more than a documentation of war crimes: it is also a testament to resilience and solidarity among women.

About SEMA Ukraine

SEMA Ukraine was founded by Iryna Dovhan in 2019 and is a network of women who have survived captivity, torture and conflict-related sexual violence as a result of Russian aggression. The organisation is part of the global SEMA network of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and works to amplify survivors’ voices, provide support and combat stigma. The film was developed on the basis of testimonies from members of the SEMA Ukraine community.

17 October: Audience Discussion

Following the screening on 17 October, we invite the audience to join us for a discussion.

Moderator:

• Maria Zoryk – communications expert at the Ukrainian Film Festival Berlin and Press Officer at the Competence Network Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies (KIU) at the European University Viadrina

Guests:

• Iryna Dovhan – founder and head of SEMA Ukraine and protagonist of the film
• Alisa Kovalenko – director and screenwriter of the film and Ukrainian documentary filmmaker; following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, she volunteered with the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Content warning: depiction of violence.