A House Made of Splinters

As the war in Eastern Ukraine takes a heavy toll on poor families living near the frontline, a small group of strong-willed social workers work tirelessly in a special kind of orphanage to create an almost magical safe space for kids to live in while the state decide the future fate of the child and family.

Directed by: Simon Lereng Wilmont

Produced by: Monica Hellström

Line Producer & Assistant Director: Azad Safarov

Co-producers: Tobias Janson, STORY, Sweden
Sami Jahnukainen, Donkey Hotel, Finland
Darya Bassel, Viktoriia Khomenko, Moon Man, Ukraine, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk

Editor: Michael Aaglund

Sound Design: Heikki Kossi, Pietu Korhorhonen, Peter Albrectsen, Sune Kaarsberg

Composer: Uno Helmersson

Grade: Anders V. Christensen

Graphic Design: Martin Hultman

In collaboration with: ARTE

In association with: BBC Storyville

Supported by: The Danish Film Institute, Danish Film Directors, The Swedish Film Institute, The Finnish Film Institute, AVEK, Nordic Film & TV Fond. Creative Europe: TV Programming, ARTE MDR, DR, SVT, Yle, Vpro, RUV, RTV Slovenia, VRT, RTS, VGTV, IMS (International Media Support).

Length: 87 min, 54 min

Languages: Ukrainian/Russian

Production Countries: Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine

About the director

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Simon graduated as a Documentary Film Director from The National Film School of Denmark in 2009. His first feature documentary film The Distant Barking of Dogs (2017), premiered at IDFA, and was awarded Best First Appearance. It has since gone on to win 35+ awards worldwide, among them the McBaine Documentary Feature Award at San Francisco’s SFFILM Festival, it was nominated for a European Film Award (2018), an Emmy (2020), and shortlisted for an Academy Award (2019). The film also won a Peabody Award (2020).

As a director, his films include Dormitory Master (2009), Above Ground, Beneath the Sky (2008), Chikara – The Sumo Wrestler’s Son (2013) and The Fencing Champion (2014).

About the producer

Monica Hellström is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was selected for Producer on the Move, Cannes 2020. She has been a producer at Final Cut for Real since 2010. She previously worked at Upfront Films and The Danish Film Institute’s Film Workshop. She graduated from EAVE Producer Workshop in 2010, holds an MA in film from the University of Copenhagen (DK) and a BA in film from the University of Bedfordshire (UK).

Recent productions include: FLEE – Jonas Poher Rasmussen (2021) – Winner of Sundance World documentary award 2021, The Cristal Prize at Annecy 2021, and many more. HE’S MY BROTHER – Cille Hannibal (2021), awarded a special mention at CPH:DOX 2021 and Dox:Münich 2021. FORGET ME NOT – Sun Hee Engelstoft (2019). THE DISTANT BARKING OF DOGS – Simon Lereng Wilmont (2017), Oscar shortlisted, awarded best doc at first appearance IDFA, Best Nordic Dox at Gothenburg and San Francisco Film Festival. Nominated for best doc at the European Film Academy. Winner of a Peabody award.