{
  "id": 8000544,
  "title": "Ukraine picks documentary on women surviving Russian sexual violence for its Oscars submission",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/ukraine-picks-documentary-on-women-surviving-russian-sexual-violence",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T09:28:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-picks-documentary-on-women-surviving-russian-sexual-violence-for-its-oscars-submission/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ukraine has chosen the documentary \"Traces\" to submit for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards, the Ukrainian Oscar Committee announced on September 16. The selection process was challenging, as the committee had to choose from a range of strong and deserving films that each offer a unique perspective on Ukraine and the current situation. Though \"Traces\" tackles a difficult subject matter, the film uses a delicate and compelling cinematic language that engages viewers and fosters empathy for its subjects. The movie has already received recognition at various film festivals, including Berlinale, Movies That Matter in The Hague, Millennium Docs Against Gravity, and the audience favorite list at Toronto’s Hot Docs documentary festival. Out of eight films submitted for consideration this year, \"Traces\" stands out as Ukraine's submission for the prestigious award. Highlighting a different aspect of the ongoing conflict, the country also submitted the action thriller \"Killhouse\" and the anthology film \"War Through the Eyes of Animals,\" featuring actor Sean Penn. Ukraine previously won its first Oscar in 2024 for the documentary \"20 Days in Mariupol,\" directed by Slavslav Chernenko, which provides a firsthand account of Russia's siege on the city during the initial weeks of the full-scale war in 2022.",
  "summary": "\"Despite the extraordinary complexity of its subject matter, (\"Traces\") employs a delicate and compelling cinematic language that does not alienate the viewer, but instead allows them to draw closer to the protagonists, hear them, and empathize with them,\" the Ukrainian Oscar Committee said.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "War in Ukraine: Odesa and Sumy suffer fires and casualties in new Russian attacks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/war-in-ukraine-odesa-and-sumy-suffer-fires-and-casualties-in-new",
        "published": "2026-09-17T07:23:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News (US)",
        "title": "Russian attack on Ukraine's capital injures at least 16",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/russian-attack-on-ukraines-capital-injures-at-least-16",
        "published": "2026-09-17T07:34:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Ukraine downs 131 Russian missiles and drones - Air Force",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/ukraine-downs-131-russian-missiles-and-drones-air-force",
        "published": "2026-09-17T08:18:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Kyiv Independent",
        "title": "At least 10 killed, 71 injured in Russian strikes across Ukraine over past day as Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa oblasts bear brunt of attacks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/at-least-10-killed-71-injured-in-russian-strikes-across-ukraine-over",
        "published": "2026-09-17T08:52:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Interfax-Ukraine",
        "title": "Russian strikes injure 5 across Zaporizhia region, 900 attacks recorded in 24 hours – Fedorov",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/russian-strikes-injure-5-across-zaporizhia-region-900-attacks",
        "published": "2026-09-17T09:36:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "At least 19 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/at-least-19-injured-in-russian-attacks-across-ukraine",
        "published": "2026-09-17T10:07:57.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}