Artist
Sjors Swierstra & Ivanna Khitsinska
Sjors Swierstra Sjors Swierstra is a documentary filmmaker who explores complex themes through experimental storytelling. In Shelter, he uses VR to tell an intimate story about the war in Ukraine. His notable works include The World According to Monsieur Khiar and The Incident – Armando and the Myth, which blend fact and fiction to challenge viewers’ perceptions. Ivanna Khitsinska Ivanna Khitsinska is a Ukrainian producer and festival manager known for her work as a producer on the Fortress Mariupol documentary series. She is a member of the Ukrainian Film Academy Board and the documentary filmmakers' association #BABYLON'13. Shelter is Ivanna’s directorial debut.
Artwork
Shelter

Shelter is a virtual reality film directed by Sjors Swierstra (The Netherlands) and co-directed by Ivanna Khitsinska (Ukraine) that offers an intimate look at the war in Ukraine.
The film immerses the viewer in everyday scenes: from a tender conversation between pregnant women in an underground maternity ward in Kyiv to the heart-wrenching funeral of a soldier in Lviv. From the tense preparation of soldiers in a frontline barracks to the breathtaking performance of a symphony orchestra in ac basement in Kharkiv. In Shelter, the audience is invited to step into a virtual space with people from Ukraine, to witness moments of shared humanity and reflect on the cost of war.
Running Time: tba
Credits:
Cinematography Artem Baburin
Editor Eduardo Hernández
Composer Michiel de Malsche
Service producer Ivanna Khitsinska
Producer Justin Karten
Co-producer Bram Crols
〷◠‿◠〷 This project is part of our festival track "MUNICH Beyond" supported by Film Fernseh Fonds Bayern (FFF).
In collaboration with
Bald buchbar