Lesia Diak’s drama ‘Dad’s Lullaby’ set for Asia premiere at 2024 Dharamshala International Film Festival

Ukrainian film director and producer Lesia Diak’s war-centric docu-drama Dad’s Lullaby is all set to have its Asia premiere at the Dharamshala International Film Festival 2024.

The docu-drama, centered on the Russia-Ukraine war, premiered globally in the Documentary Competition section at the 2024 Sarajevo Film Festival and was recently showcased at DocLisboa 2024.

Speaking about the film’s Asia premiere, Lesia shared, “I am truly honoured to present Dad’s Lullaby and share the story of war veteran Serhiy, his family, and my journey with Indian audiences. We hope the story of Serhiy and his family will resonate with them. We are grateful to the Dharamshala International Film Festival for hosting our Asia premiere, and I believe the film will help raise awareness of the harsh realities Ukraine faces amid Russian aggression.”

Dad’s Lullaby presents a powerful, intimate portrayal of the profound personal and emotional toll of war, focusing on Serhiy, a Ukrainian veteran who returns home after three years of conflict. As he reunites with his family, Serhiy confronts the lingering trauma of his experiences and struggles to reconnect with his wife and three young sons, each relationship strained by his long absence and his haunting memories of war.

It is said that Lesia brings a profoundly personal perspective to the film, inspired by her own experiences and connection with a war veteran. In 2016, motivated by the emotional challenges she faced in her relationship with a Ukrainian soldier, Lesia launched a blog for partners of veterans, which laid the foundation for Dad’s Lullaby.

Marking Lesia’s debut as a feature filmmaker, the film was also penned by her and follows her acclaimed short documentary Wounds, which won the Best Documentary Award at the 2024 Zlin Film Festival in the Czech Republic.

Dad’s Lullaby is co-produced by Lesia along with Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan, Elena Martin, and Hrvoje Osvadić.