The Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) has announced that this year Ireland will be represented at the Oscars in the International Feature Film category by the Ukrainian-language film Sanatorium. The film was created by Irish director Gar O'Rourke in collaboration with the Ukrainian company 2332 Films.
Sanatorium had its world premiere in spring 2025 in Copenhagen at the CPH:DOX festival, after which it was screened at prestigious venues in Switzerland, Edinburgh, Melbourne and at the DocuDays UA festival. In July, the film received the award for Best Irish Documentary Feature Film at the Galway Film Fleadh festival.
The documentary takes the viewer to the Kuyalnik sanatorium near Odesa — a 1970s building where life goes on as usual despite the war. Visitors and staff seek love, healing and relaxation, while the main ‘star’ of the sanatorium remains the legendary black mud, which is believed to have healing properties.
IFTA CEO Aine Moriarty said: "IFTA is delighted to announce that Sanatorium will represent Ireland in the International Feature Film category at the upcoming Oscars. It is an incredibly captivating yet understatedly powerful film, with vivid and visually striking imagery and colourful real-life characters who find escape from reality within the confines of an unusual health resort in Ukraine. It is very inspiring to see how the Irish director and creative team are collaborating with their Ukrainian colleagues to capture these moments in time, which will undoubtedly resonate with audiences around the world."
Screenwriter and director Gar O'Rourke added: "It is an incredible privilege to represent Ireland on the world's biggest film stage, and I am truly grateful to the IFTA and everyone who has been on this journey with us. Since the premiere of Sanatorium earlier this year, the international response has been overwhelming. This film sought to show the power of healing, the resilience of community and, above all, the strength of the Ukrainian spirit in times of great hardship. None of this would have been possible without the exceptional dedication of our Ukrainian film crew and co-producers at 2332 Films, as well as the producers at Venom Films and the invaluable support of Screen Ireland and many other partners."
Producers Andrew Friedman, Ken Wardrop and Samantha Corr also noted the resilience and courage of the Kuyalnik sanatorium in the midst of full-scale war: "We are honoured that Sanatorium has been selected as Ireland's official entry for the International Feature Film category. This is a tremendous recognition of the dedication of Gar O'Rourke, John Murphy and everyone who helped bring this story to the screen. Above all, it is a tribute to the resilient community of the Kuyalnik Sanatorium near Odessa — where even in the shadow of war, people find time to heal, laugh and show incredible humanity. We extend our deepest gratitude to our Ukrainian colleagues and team — Denys Melnyk, Serhiy Solodka, and everyone whose courage and creativity brought this film to life. In a year marked by war, they remind us why cinema is important — to bear witness, to awaken empathy, and to show our shared humanity. We would also like to thank our partners, especially Screen Ireland, for their support throughout, and the IFTA for this great honour. We dedicate this event to the employees, guests and people of Kuyalnik who gave us their stories and their hearts."
The film was produced by Ken Wardrop and Andrew Friedman (Venom Films) in partnership with Screen Ireland, BBC Storyville, MetFilm Sales, France TV and Creative Europe. Denys Melnyk was the Ukrainian director of photography, and John Murphy, known for his work on An Cailín Ciúin, was the editor.
Sanatorium will be released in Irish cinemas on 5 September this year.