Isabelle Stever

I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming

Director Isabelle Stever Cast Tania Myronyshena, Irina Mak, Viktor Zhdanov, Markus Bright

LGBTQIA+

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Edition 2026

Official Selection

100' - 2026 - Drama - Format: DCP - Dialogue: Ukrainian, German

The relationship of a young queer Ukrainian couple is put to the test when one partner’s gender transition collides with Russia’s full-scale invasion. Rooted in reality, this timely and tender film centers on living and loving on the edge of the abyss, and the struggle to safeguard one’s identity amid extreme violence.

While Olya (Tania Myronyshena) and Oleh (Markus Bright) are dealing with the internal tensions surrounding Oleh's recent gender transition, they must also contend with unprecedented cruelty from outside when Russia invades Ukraine at the same time. The fiercely topical I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming was largely filmed in and around Kyiv and draws on the experiences of the circle of friends of Ukrainian screenwriter Anna Melikova and German filmmaker Isabelle Stever. Rooted in reality, they explore how the war takes over everyday life and increasingly narrows the boundaries of masculinity and femininity. The violence of war is ever-present, yet never shown directly. The focus is on a couple who go to the utmost lengths to save their freedom and identity from an all-consuming wartime reality. Every shot bears witness to a deep belief in the political power of cinema.