“THE HAMLET SYNDROME” WINS SPECIAL JURY PRIZE

Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosołowski's film has once again captured the hearts of jurors at a major international festival. This time, their documentary was recognised at the Millenium International Documentary Film Festival in Brussels.

The Millenium International Documentary Film Festival is one of the most important film events taking place in Brussels. What sets it apart from other festivals is the subject matter of the films presented in the programme, which primarily concerns human rights. The organisers also attach great importance to supporting innovative projects and young, independent creators. The festival was founded in 2009, and its initiators are Lubomir Gueorguiev and Zlatina Rousseva.

This year's festival programme has featured The Hamlet Syndrome by Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosołowski. The documentary captivated the jury, which awarded it the Special Jury Prize for the most original and innovative film. It is worth mentioning that renowned artist and architect Ai Weiwei was the head of the jury. 

War has taken a heavy toll on the young generation of Ukrainians. Several months before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, five protagonists – inspired by the motifs of Hamlet – return to the brutal experience of recent years on stage trying to overcome their traumas. Each of them struggles with disappointment, helplessness, or anger in their own way. SLAVIK went through the real hell of war and captivity as a soldier. KATYA wants her mother to finally forgive her for going to the front lines. RODION escaped from the conflict-ridden Donbas and, as an LGBT person, is struggling with growing homophobia in post-revolutionary Ukraine. ROMAN, who tended to wounded soldiers as a military medic, is still fighting his traumatic memories. OXANA, as an actress, takes up the fight on the artistic front. What's most significant – no matter the values they represent, recent years have been a series of shocking experiences that left a brutal mark on their minds. For each of them, the theatre stage becomes a tribune for shouting their regrets while asking themselves Hamlet's central question: to be or not to be?

You can find out more about the festival here.