MY DEAR THEO
POLISH TITLE: MÓJ DROGI THEO
n a series of letters to her young son, a mother, soldier and filmmaker documents her thoughts from the Ukrainian frontline. A deeply moving and existential film of unimaginable courage.
Alisa Kovalenko is a mother, soldier and filmmaker. When Russia invades Ukraine in the spring of 2022, she enlists as a soldier to defend her country. ‘My Dear Théo’ is structured as a series of letters to her young son Theo, sent from the frontline. The letters revolve around topics such as war, love and the most difficult choices in life.
- GENRE:
- documentary
- COUNTRY:
- Denmark, Poland
- RUNNING TIME:
- 98'
- YEAR:
- 2025
- COLOUR:
- colour
- DIRECTING:
- Alisa Kovalenko
- PRODUCTION:
- Kasia Kuczyńska
Alisa Kovalenko »
Alisa Kovalenko is an award-winning Ukrainian screenwriter and documentary film director,and a member of the European Film Academy and the Ukrainian Film Academy. She studiedat the National Film University in Kyiv and at the Wajda School in Warsaw.Alisa’s debut documentary, Alisa in Warland, had its world premiere at IDFA — the world’slargest documentary film festival — in Amsterdam in 2015. Her documentary Home Games,portraying a young Ukrainian football player, premiered at Sheffield Doc/Fest, was selectedfor IDFA, and became the first Ukrainian creative documentary acquired by Netflix.Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Alisa joined the Ukrainian Volunteer Army. Shefought on the front line for several months before returning to complete her film We Will NotFade Away, which had its world premiere at Berlinale 2023 and was nominated for theBerlinale Documentary Award.After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Alisa joined the 5th Independent Battalion of theUkrainian Volunteer Army within the 2nd Motorized Brigade “Black Swans”.Selected filmography:2023 – Girl Away from Home — director2023 – We Will Not Fade Away — directorBerlinale 2023, nomination for the Berlinale Documentary Award2018 – Home Games — directorIDFA, Sheffield Doc/Fest2015 – Alisa in Warland — directorIDFA International Documentary Film Festival (Netherlands), world premiereFIDADOC Agadir, DocsMXFestival du Cinéma et des Droits de l’Homme de Paris & Barcelone
AT FESTIVALS:
- DokuFest - the International Documentary and Short Film Festival, 2025, Kosovo, 2025 (Human Rights Dox)
- Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, 2025, Czech Republic, 2025 (competition)