Film workshops
for young Ukrainians living
near the war front
The war took their homes, their
safety and even their childhood.
But it didn’t take their voice.
GENERATION: NIKA is a project
where young people from Kharkiv
and Kherson tell their own stories.
Through their own eyes, with their
own cameras. Why? Because war
isn’t just about numbers and
maps. It’s about people.
PR
OJECT
R
ABOUT THE
GENERATION: NIKA follows a group of
teenagers who, through film workshops,
try to capture their lives in a country torn
by war. They are young, creative, resou-
rceful — and they refuse to be passive
victims of history.
We uncover universal themes of ado-
lescence and artistic expression that re-
sonate anywhere in the world,yet here
they are inevitably s haped by war and
its shifting face. Everyday “banalities”
take on new meaning — a tourniquet
lying next to a comb and mascara in a
girl’s purse, and sometimes, someone
simply disappears forever.
“In the summer of 2024, I was fil-
ming an interview with two girls in Khar-
kiv. A few hours later, a rocket strike
killed one of them. Her name was Nika.”
VOJTA HÖNIG
Local filmmakers, together with
a Czech crew, lead workshops focu-
sed on camera, screenwriting, dire-
cting, and acting. The goal is to create
authentic short fiction films inspi-
red by their real-life experiences —
whether it’s escaping from an occupied
city, living in a basement, or searching
for normalcy amid chaos. Despite the
horrors of war, lightness, humor, and
resilience remain. Because in such
conditions, humor isn’t just an esca-
pe — it’s a tool for survival.
Czech professional script editor
and dir ector Tomáš Dianiška helps the
participants develop their screenplays,
while also offering audiences a fresh
perspective on an abnormal reality.
(Local people have long grown used
to the sirens sounding several times
a day, the ruined buildings around
them, and the constant noise of drones
and explosions.)
WHY DO
WE DO
IT
To show the war differently. Young people in Europe are
tired of traditional news coverage.
This project delivers raw, authentic, and emotionally
powerful storytelling.
To give Ukrainian teenagers an extracurricular activity.
After five years of online learning, they lack personal
contact and creative opportunities. This project gives
them a tool to amplify their voice.
