News
“Songs of Slow Burning Earth” nominated for the European Film Awards
The documentary film by Olha Zhurba, supported by ESFUF in December 2023 has been officially nominated for the European Film Awards 2026, in the categories “European Film” and “European Documentary”, marking an important milestone in the film’s international trajectory.
Songs of slow burning earth is a diary of Ukraine’s immersion into the abyss of total war, filmed at different distances of the front line. The film depicts life in Ukraine during the first two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion. It captures the changes in society: the initial ragged chords of panic in the first weeks of the large-scale war slowly morph into the numb stillness of acceptance of death and destruction, which eventually become a tragic norm for Ukrainians.
The production companies Moon Man (Ukraine) and Final Cut For Real (Denmark) applied for ESFUF finalisation support in the fall of 2023. In December, the project was supported under its working title “Displaced”.
The film is Olha Zhurba’s second feature, after her 2022 documentary “Outside”, which premiered at CPH:DOX and HOT DOCS, and was co-produced between Ukraine, Denmark, France and Sweden.
The voting period of the European Film Awards opened the 15 decembre 2025 and will run until 8 January 2026. Throughout this period, all nominated films remain available to members of the European Film Academy on the Academy’s VOD platform, enabling them to watch the films and cast their votes. The award winners will be announced in Berlin on 17 January 2026.
The film’s nomination follows its international premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where it premiered out of competition.