A House Made of Splinters

A House Made of Splinters (Ukrainian: Будинок із трісок) is a 2022 documentary film by the Danish film director Simon Lereng Wilmont, created with the support of the State Agency of Ukraine for Film Affairs. An international co-production with Denmark, Ukraine, Sweden and Finland, it follows the story of children from a special orphanage in eastern Ukraine.[1]

A House Made of Splinters
Official poster
UkrainianБудинок із трісок
Directed bySimon Lereng Wilmont
Screenplay by
  • Simon Lereng Wilmont
Produced by
CinematographySimon Lereng Wilmont
Edited by
  • Michael Aaglund
  • Marion Tuor
Music byUno Helmersson
Production
company
Distributed by
Release date
  • January 26, 2022 (2022-01-26) (Sundance)
Running time
87 minutes
Countries
  • Denmark
  • Ukraine
  • Sweden
  • Finland
Languages
  • Ukrainian
  • Russian

The film had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on 26 January 2022, where it won the best director award in the World Cinema Documentary section.[2][3] The film also won the international competition Golden Alexander Award for best film as well as the FIPRESCI Award at the 24th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in March 2022.[4]

It was selected for Best Documentary Feature and subsequently shortlisted from 144 eligible to 15 films[5][6] and then nominated for 95th Academy Awards in the said category.[7][8]

Content
Social workers have tried to create a safe environment for the children in the war-torn city of Lysychansk

The war in eastern Ukraine took a heavy toll, especially on the poor families living near the front lines. The film presents the stories of children from a special orphanage in Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine. A small group of social workers is taking care of children who have been temporarily removed from their parents and are waiting for custody decisions.[9] The heroes of the tape were also several educators who, in the conditions of the war with Russia, are trying to create a safe space for children near the front line. While children are being cared for, adult children are in danger, until the state authorities and courts decide the further fate of children.[10]

Production

The filming of the documentary lasted for more than two years in Donbas. It was created in the co-production of Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Ukraine with the support of the State Agency of Ukraine for Film Affairs.[1]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on 26 January 2022.[11]

It was invited at the Gothenburg International Film Festival held from 27 January to 5 February 2022, and at the 24th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival held from 10 March to 20 March 2022, where it won Golden Alexander Award-Best Film as well as the FIPRESCI Award.[12] Later it was screened at CPH:DOX, the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival held from March 23 to April 3, 2022.[13]

In April 2022, it was screened at the Swiss documentary film festival Visions du Réel and then at the 29th edition of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.[14] In May 2022, it was presented at DOK.fest Munich and at the Israeli documentary film festival Docaviv.[15] In June 2022, it was screened at the Sydney Film Festival. In July, it was selected at the 19th edition of the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival held from 10 to 17 July, in the 'International Full-Length Competition'.[16] In September, the film featured in the Competition Program of AJB DOC held from 9 to 13 September.[17] In October 2022, it was presented at the Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid and at the Osnabrück Film Festival and on 3 November 2022 at the Lübeck Nordic Film Days.[18][19]

On January 17, 2023, American Documentary reported that POV (a cinema term for “point of view”) had acquired the film and it will make its national broadcast premiere on PBS, American Experience, as part of POV's 36th season launching summer 2023.[20]

On February 14, 2023, it was reported by Deadline that Giant Pictures had acquired US theatrical and VOD rights to the film[21] and as of March 7, 2023, it was released on digital platforms in USA including Apple TV+,[22] Amazon Prime Video[23] and it is also running at select Alamo Drafthouse locations around USA.[24]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 97% approval rating based on reviews from 35 critics, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Taking a brilliantly unobtrusive approach, A House Made of Splinters uncovers heartbreak and hope while observing the generational effects of war."[25] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 based on 9 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[26]

Critical response

Jack Seale reviewing for The Guardian rated the film with 4 stars out of 5 and wrote, "Full of almost intolerably cold, hard truths about what happens to little ones when society is fractured."[27] Daniel Fienberg of Hollywood Reporter admiring the moments of beauty wrote, "I admired the moments of beauty that Wilmont delivers in a film that isn’t quite consistent enough in its storytelling approach." Concluding Fienberg opined, "Even if A House Made of Splinters can't completely decide if it wants to tell a story or the repetition of devastation and ephemeral uplift is enough, the faces here linger long after the movie ends."[28] Guy Lodge reviewing for Variety praised the cinematography of the film, writing, "Lereng Wilmont’s filmmaking [is] marked by unusual tenderness and human interest, shot with a camera that feels all but invisible to its subjects". Concluding, Lodge stated, "A House Made of Splinters indulges in passages of visual poetry — light dancing on enraptured faces, two children’s silhouettes tracing the patterns on a backlit voile curtain," he added, "– that feel earned, granting breathing space and beauty to an environment that needs them most."[29] Elena Lazic wrote in Cineuropa, that the film "offers a window into [reality of life in Eastern Ukraine] through a temporary house for children who cannot be looked after by their parents". In concluding paragraph, Lazic rued that the film, "does not provide any groundbreaking ideas on the cycles of addiction, violence and neglect," next giving positive aspects of the film, she added, "but it does show what a difference even a flickering ray of hope can make in the lives of children."[30]

The New York Times honored the film by assigning it with the prestigious 'Critic's Pick' and reviewing it Nicolas Rapold wrote "A House Made of Splinters is made with such aching sensitivity that it’s a marvel a camera was used and not some form of mind-meld".[31]

Accolades
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Sundance Film Festival 30 January 2022 Best director – World Cinema Documentary Competition Simon Lereng Wilmont Won [2]
Göteborg International Film Festival 5 February 2022 Dragon Award Best Nordic Documentary A House Made of Splinters Won [32]
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 20 March 2022 Golden Alexander Award Won [33]
FIPRESCI Award Won
One World Film Festival 2 April 2022 International Competition Jury Award for the Best Film Won [34]
Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival 3 April 2022 Politiken:DOX Award Won [35][36]
ZagrebDox 10 April 2022 Movies That Matter Competition (main prize) Won [37]
European Film Awards 10 December 2022 European Documentary Nominated [38]
IDA Documentary Awards 10 December 2022 Best Documentary Nominated [39]
Best Director Simon Lereng Wilmont Nominated
Best Cinematography Nominated
Cinema Eye Honors 12 January 2023 Outstanding Production Monica Hellström Nominated [40]
Outstanding Cinematography Simon Lereng Wilmont Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards 4 March 2023 Best Documentary Feature A House Made of Splinters Nominated [41]
Academy Awards 12 March 2023 Best Documentary Feature Nominated [7]

References
  1. Barsukova, Olena (22 March 2022). "Фільм "Будинок із трісок" про дітей на Донбасі – у шорт-листі на "Оскар"" [The film "House of Chips" about children from the East of Ukraine won at the film festival in Prague]. Ukrainian Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  2. "'A House Made of Splinters' wins at Sundance". Danish Film Institute. 29 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  3. Debruge, Peter (28 January 2022). "Sundance 2022 Winners: From 'Nanny' and 'Navalny' to Crowd-Pleaser 'Cha Cha Real Smooth,' Indie Fest Spreads the Wealth". Variety. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  4. Grivas, Alexis (21 March 2022). "Ukraine war film 'A House Made Of Splinters' wins top prize at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  5. Carey, Matthew (11 January 2023). "'A House Made Of Splinters' Beats Odds To Make Oscar Shortlist". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  6. Giardina, Carolyn (21 December 2022). "2023 Oscars: Shortlists for 95th Academy Awards Unveiled". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  7. Lewis, Hilary (24 January 2023). "Oscars: Full List of Nominations". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  8. "2023 Oscars Nominations: See the Full List". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  9. A House Made of Splinters (2022) - Plot - IMDb, retrieved 17 April 2023
  10. Linville, JD (14 January 2022). "From 'Flee,' 'The Act of Killing' Producer, 'A House Made of Splinters' Bows at Sundance With Chronicle of Neglect". Variety. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  11. Saito, Stephen (21 January 2022). "Sundance 2022 Review: The Effects of War Ripple Beyond the Battlefield in Simon Lereng Wilmont's Exquisite "A House Made of Splinters"". Moveable Fest. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  12. Pham, Annika (21 March 2022). "Double win for A House Made of Splinters at Thessaloniki doc fest". Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  13. Rosser, Michael (16 March 2022). "CPH:DOX adds three Ukrainian films to 2022 line-up". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  14. Economou, Vassilis (31 March 2022). "Hot Docs returns to cinemas (and the internet)". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  15. Petkovic, Vladan (5 May 2022). "Docaviv announces its full programme". Cineuropa. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  16. Economou, Vassilis (17 September 2022). "The 19th Golden Apricot Festival is ready to unspool". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  17. Stojiljković, Marko (1 September 2022). "The fifth edition of AJB DOC is ready to kick off". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  18. "A House Made of Splinters". Nordische Filmtage Lübeck. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  19. Vena, Teresa (27 October 2022). "Nordic Film Days Lübeck unveils the programme for its 64th edition". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  20. "POV Acquires A House Made of Splinters Shortlisted for Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Academy Awards". American Documentary. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023 – via Press release.
  21. Carey, Matthew (14 February 2023). "Giant Pictures Takes U.S. Theatrical, VOD Rights To Oscar-Nominated Documentary 'A House Made Of Splinters'". Deadline. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  22. "A House Made Of Splinters". Apple TV. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  23. "A House Made Of Splinters". Amazon Prime Video. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  24. Carey, Matthew (7 March 2023). "Oscar-Nominated Director Simon Lereng Wilmont On Working With Ukrainian Kids In 'A House Made Of Splinters': It's All About Understanding "Their Hopes, Dreams, Fears"". Deadline. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  25. "A House Made of Splinters (2022, Documentary)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  26. "A House Made of Splinters". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  27. Seale, Jack (8 November 2022). "A House Made of Splinters review – this extraordinary film about Ukrainian kids is almost too hard to bear". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  28. Fienberg, Daniel (23 January 2022). "A House Made of Splinters': Film Review | Sundance 2022". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  29. Lodge, Guy (23 January 2022). "'A House Made of Splinters' Review: A Heart-Tugging Documentary Portrait of Children in Limbo". Variety. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  30. Lazic, Elena (31 January 2022). "Review: A House Made of Splinters". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  31. Rapold, Nicolas (22 February 2023). "'A House Made of Splinters' Review: Home Is Where the Hope Is". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  32. "Här är vinnarna på Göteborg Film Festival 2022!" [Here are the winners at the Gothenburg Film Festival 2022!]. Göteborg International Film Festival (in Swedish). 5 February 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  33. Economou, Vassilis (21 March 2022). "A House Made of Splinters wins at the 24th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival". Cineuropa. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  34. "International Competition Best Film: A House made of Splinters". One World. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  35. "THE WINNERS OF CPH:DOX 2022". CPH DOX. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  36. Petković, Vladan (4 April 2022). "CPH:DOX 2022 Awards: Nataša Urban's The Eclipse triumphs at CPH:DOX". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  37. Economou, Vassilis (11 April 2022). "ZAGREBDOX 2022 Awards: Sabaya and Dida receive the Big Stamps at ZagrebDox". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  38. Dams, Tim (8 November 2022). "European Film Academy unveils nominees for 2022 European Film Awards". Screen Daily. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  39. Carey, Matthew (11 November 2022). "'All That Breathes,' 'Fire Of Love' Erupt As IDA Documentary Awards Nominations Announced". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  40. Jones, Marcus (10 November 2022). "'Fire of Love' and 'The Territory' Lead 2023 Cinema Eye Honors Nonfiction Film Nominees". IndieWire. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  41. Lattanzio, Ryan (22 November 2022). "2023 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations Announced (Updating Live)". IndieWire. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
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