When the Trees Fall

"A debut feature bursting with audacity, flair and energetic promise"

Hollywood Reporter
  • Archive - Festival 34
  • Director: Marysia Nikitiuk
  • Ukraine, Poland, Macedonia 2018
  • 88 minutes
  • Ukrainian
  • Subtitles in Hebrew, English

In a godforsaken post-Soviet village, Larysa has fallen in love with Scar, an attractive young criminal. After he heads to the city, she is forced to follow the traditional life she has always refused. However, Vitka, her 5-year-old rebellious cousin, holds a secret that can change everyone’s destiny.

“A debut feature bursting with audacity, flair and energetic promise, When the Trees Fall propels 31-year-old Ukrainian writer-director Marysia Nikitiuk into the leading ranks of younger filmmakers from eastern/central Europe” - Neil Young, The Hollywood Reporter.

Feature Debut


  • Director Marysia Nikitiuk
  • Production Igor Savychenko, Roman Klympush, Volodymyr Filippov, Serge Lavrenyuk, Izabela Wojcik, Violetta Kaminska, Dariusz Jablonski, Darko Basheski
  • Script Marysia Nikitiuk
  • Cinematography Michal Englert, Mateusz Wichłacz
  • Editing Blaze Dulev, Milenia Fiedler, Ivan Bannikov
  • Music Mykyta Moiseiev
  • Festivals Berlinale
  • Actors Anastasia Pustovit, Sofia Khalaimova, Maksym Samchyk, Maria Svizhinska
  • Source Latido Films, Madrid