On the shores of Odesa in Southern Ukraine lies the imposing Kuyalnik Sanatorium, a crumbling Soviet era health facility that’s seen better days. over a summer season the ever-dwindling guests come for the rejuvenating mud treatments and strange electroshock therapies, in search of love, healing and happiness.
‘Sanatorium is a strikingly cinematic, affectionately droll study of Ukrainian resilience in the face of war’ – ScreenDaily
‘Sanatorium is the opposite of a spoon-fed social issues doc: It observes, listens and trusts the audience likewise to observe, listen and to draw their own conclusions.’ -Variety
World Premiere: CPH DOX
Awards: selected as Ireland’s entry to the 2026 oscars best international film
additional awards
Winner Best Documentary Film Galway Film Fleadh
IFTA Documentary Award Nomination
Winner Adelaide FF Best International Doc Award
Krakow Film Festival – Jury Award
Best Film Winner – Women and the World International Film Festival
CPH DOX Award: Nominee
Visions du Reel Grand Angle Nominee
Cinema Eye Spotlight Award Nominee
selected FESTIVAL SCREENINGS
Adelaide Film Festival
DocuDays UA
Edinburgh International Film Festival
Festival dei Popoli
Galway Film Fleadh
Hamburg FilmFest
Krakow Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
Santa Barbara Internation Film Festival
Seville European Film Festival
Verzio International Human Rights Film Festival
Visions du Reel
Zagreb Dox
Selected Crew
Director – Gar O’Rourke
Film Editor – John Murphy
Producer – Andrew Freedman, Ken Wardrop, Samantha Corr
Director of Photography – Denis Melnyk
A Venom production for BBC Storyville
