The 16th Odesa International Film Festival Announces the European Competition Program

The 16th Odesa International Film Festival announced the participants of the European Competition Program. The selection included the latest premieres from Italy, Poland, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Ukraine and other countries.

These films reflect modern trends and challenges of European cinema, combining artistic courage with the relevance of the topics. It is among them that the winner in the nomination "Best European Feature Film" will be determined, and the director will receive the "Golden Duke" statuette and may apply for the Grand Prix of the festival.

The European Competition Program presents:

“Wishing Stars” (2024, Italy, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Croatia, dir. Peter Kerekes)

Luciana, a Neapolitan astrologer, knows the method of making her clients’ wishes come true. All they have to do is go to a specific place on their birthday to be reborn under a new sky. Whether it’s Taipei, Beirut, or a neighboring village – during these holiday trips, the characters will experience unexpected transformations that will help them understand what they really want.

“This is not my film” (To nie mój film, 2024, Poland, dir. Maria Zbonska)

The love story of Wanda and Janek begins where “happily ever after” ends. To save their relationship from crisis, they embark on a winter journey along the Baltic Sea coast. The journey becomes a test of strength and tests whether their feelings will truly stand the test of time. This is a story with humor, touching moments and unexpected twists.

Tasty (2024, Lithuania, dir. Egle Vertelite)

Ona and Saule are friends and cooks in a small Kaunas canteen called Tasty. When Saule registers them for a television cooking competition by creating fake restaurant profiles, they unexpectedly end up on the show. There, they face competition with their idol – chef Madame Brückne, ridiculous challenges and, eventually, their first successes. But everything gets complicated when Ona falls in love with a charismatic French judge.

Under the Gray Sky (Pod szarym niebem, 2024, Poland, dir. Mara Tamkowicz)

Belarus, 2020. Mass protests erupt after Lukashenko rigged elections. Anti-regime journalist Lena is live-streaming the brutal dispersal of a peaceful demonstration until she is spotted by a police drone. Despite the danger, she continues her work and ends up behind bars. Her husband Ilya is preparing an emergency evacuation abroad, but the system does not let them go so easily. The couple is forced to make an unbearable choice, trying to remain true to themselves. The film is inspired by the true story of journalists Igor Ilyash and Kateryna Andreeva, who are still serving an 8-year prison sentence.

“Paul and Paulette Are Taking a Bath” (2024, Great Britain, dir. Jethro Massey)

An unconventional romantic comedy about a young American photographer and a French girl who likes everything creepy. A chance meeting in Paris develops into a strange friendship based on a game - recreating real crimes from the past. For Paul, it is a way to get closer to Paulette, for her - an escape from the breakup with her lover and her own trauma. Their journey borders on a dangerous game between reality and fantasy, but unexpectedly brings joy to the darkest corners of human nature.

"Black Hole" (Must auk, 2024, Estonia, dir. Monika Simets)

Aliens land on Earth and radically change the lives of several characters. Siri and Maret, who dream of working abroad, find themselves at the center of an extraterrestrial experiment. Yuri, who lives with his mother, falls in love with the outspoken neighbor Gertrude. And Marilis, who dreams of a world without cruel men, finds refuge with fearless bodybuilder Uma in an apartment full of giant spiders.

“You Are Space” (2024, Ukraine, Belgium, dir. Pavlo Ostrikov)

In the near future, Ukrainian space trucker Andriy Melnyk transports nuclear waste to Jupiter’s distant moon Callisto. His routine journey is suddenly changed by disaster – the Earth explodes. Andriy becomes the last person in the Universe, until a Frenchwoman, Catherine, calls him from an abandoned space station. Despite the impossible circumstances, he decides to meet her at all costs.

“The Daughter” (2024, Ukraine, Great Britain, dir. Yegor Olesov)

In the first days of a full-scale war, 17-year-old Olga, a deaf girl, comes to her father and his new family in a house near Kiev. When their home is captured by Russian occupiers, Olga finds herself faced with a cruel choice. To save her loved ones and survive, she must overcome old family grievances and discover a strength she never knew existed.

“Vitrival” (2025, Belgium, dir. Noel Bastin, Baptiste Bogert)

Every day, new graffiti of penises appears on the walls of buildings in the Belgian village of Vitrival. And at the same time, suicides of local residents are becoming more frequent...

And while Vitrival continues to celebrate life, cousins of police officers Pierre and Benjamin take over the patrol, determined to figure everything out.

“Six Days in Spring” (2025, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, dir. Joachim Lafosse)

A young woman Sana goes with her sons on a long-awaited spring break. By coincidence, the planned accommodation turns out to be unavailable, so the family, along with the boys’ former football coach, instead stays at a luxurious villa on the Riviera. However, the villa belongs to the family of Sana’s ex-husband and the woman does not warn anyone about this visit.

“Paternal Leave” (2025, Germany, Italy, dir. Alyssa Jung)

A lonely teenage girl from Germany goes on a self-imposed trip to the northern Italian coast to meet her biological father. Their first meeting is full of tension, pain and unresolved resentments. So can they find a path to acceptance, love and honesty?

“Mother's Baby” (2025, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, dir. Johanna Moder)

Julia, a 40-year-old successful conductor, and her partner Georg dream of having a child. Treatment at a fertility clinic yields results - the woman becomes pregnant. However, complications during childbirth force the doctors to take the newborn baby to intensive care. When the mother is finally reunited with her baby, she is overcome by a strange feeling of alienation. Julia begins to doubt whether this is really her child.

“Pleasures of the earth garden”(2025, Spain, dir. Fernando Colomo)

Fermin, an experienced artist at the end of his career, is faced with an illness that threatens his profession. He moves into a workshop in an old garage, where his son Pablo also returns after a long trip to India. The father and son's opposing views on art and life quickly lead to conflict. Pepa, Pablo's mother and Fermin's ex-wife, invites them to participate in a competition to interpret Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights - a challenge that could change their relationship and save their financial situation.

"The Eternal" (2025, Ukraine, Finland, Canada, dir. Ivan Nikolaychuk)

A film adaptation of Myroslav Dochynets' bestseller "The Eternal: Confession at the Pass of the Spirit". This is the life story of a 104-year-old Carpathian sage who went through turbulent historical events, losses and tragedies, but retained light, love and kindness in his heart. His path is the confession of a great soul, leading to eternal wisdom.

The Odesa International Film Festival is supported by:

Ukrainian State Film Agency

The European Union and Creative Europe Desk Ukraine

Adam Mickiewicz Institute “Instytut Adama Mickiewicza”

Polish Institute in Kyiv

German Films

Official Sponsor – ARARAT

Official Automotive Partner – BMW Ukraine

General Partner of Film Industry Office – UPHub

Official jewelry partner - Carrera Y Carrera General Technological Partner -Hisense

Official partner bank – Pivdenny

Official beauty partner - L'Oréal Paris Partner Film Industry Office - Cinema Sound UA Production