A 10-year-old's life is turned upside down by the ongoing war in East Ukraine. While most people have left their village on the front lines, Oleg and his beloved grandmother stay, putting up with constant fear and never-ending gunfire. But dealing with the stress of armed conflict day in and day out takes a heavy toll. The Distant Barking of Dogs shows a child's perspective of war and the consequences to behaviour, imagination and psychology. In school, lessons are replaced with warnings about the dangers of bombs. Outside, birdsong has been silenced by the unbroken soundtrack of shelling. War is something happening on the other side of the hill, out of sight but never out of mind, and Oleg's make-believe games betray his complete understanding of the situation. Pretending to be strong and playing macho are this boy's only strategy to fend off the normalized threat and terror of living in a war zone. Angie Driscoll

Co-presented with Human Rights Watch.

The Changing Face of Europe program presented in partnership with European Film Promotion (EFP). Film recommended by EFP member Danish Film Institute. [More]