King Lear: How We Looked for Love During the War (Dmytro Hreshko, Ukraine, 2023) + Panel discussion

In the small town of Uzhhorod in western Ukraine, which became a place of refuge for many escaping the Russian invasion, a theatre director is working on an adaptation of King Lear. In this documentary, the Shakespeare play is reflected through the lens of non-professional actors living in displacement, which turns it into an observational and analytical tool that helps to look for love and hope against the background of war. At the intersection of personal struggles and inner relationships of the crew, subtleties of linguistic and contextual translations, evergreen truths and new meanings, a new text is born. King Lear: How We Looked for Love During the Warinvites us to watch this intricate process from an intimately close yet still delicately maintained distance. Followed by a panel discussion about theatre in the times of war.

Samizdat is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, and funded by Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI.

Accessibility

English subtitles

Financial support to attend the festival is available to eligible applicants via Samizdat's Access Fund.

Content notes: grief, trauma, consequences of war.