The Illusion of a Quiet Night

In every war, normal life continues in spite of everything—but can it really be called normal? The Illusion of a Quiet Night shows that “normal” life in Ukraine is a fiction. Particularly during the night, when Russia bombards the cities with drones and missiles. This dialogue-free film by Olga Chernykh, whose A Picture to Remember opened IDFA 2023, offers a kaleidoscopic portrait of life in Ukraine during a single night.

On the night of July 27–28, 2025, 40 professional camera operators and 300 members of the public filmed at more than 60 locations, including in occupied territory and on the front line. The result is a portrait of a world full of contradictions. While revelers party in a nightclub, a wounded soldier is carried into a field hospital. And as the grain harvest continues in the countryside, air-raid sirens sound in Kyiv, where residents flee to a metro station for shelter.

A quiet night is an illusion in Ukraine, but the people’s quiet determination leaves a lasting impression. When the night is over, everyone calmly leaves the shelter and a new day begins.