The selection committee behind the projects evaluation included Vika Leshchenko, producer and curator, programmer for the International Documentary program at DOK Leipzig; Dennis Ruh, Film and Media Industry Expert, Director of the European Film Market (2020-2024); Sergio García de Leániz, Project Manager at Eurimages, curator of the Promotion Programme; Natalie Movshovych, Head of the Film at the Ukrainian Institute; Iryna Kyporenko, Film Programme Manager at the Ukrainian Institute. 

The winning project is Intercepted, directed by Oksana Karpovych, produced by Giacomo Nudi, Rocío Barba Fuentes, Pauline Tran Van Lieu, Darya Bassel and Olha Beskhmelnytsina, co-producerd by ARTE France. 

The film captures the transformation in the daily lives of Ukrainians following Russia’s full-scale invasion. Russian soldiers made thousands of unauthorized phone calls from the battlefield in Ukraine to their families and friends in Russia. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian special services have been regularly intercepting and posting these private conversations online. Bit by bit, the voices of Russians not only reveal to the world the course of the so-called “special operation” but also the process of dehumanization and demoralization of its executors – from harboring heroic illusions to complete disillusionment and loss of sanity, from looting to committing the most horrific war crimes. 

The film is part of the Generation Ukraine project, featuring 12 documentaries made by Ukrainian directors after February 24, 2022, about the impact of the Russian invasion, co-produced by ARTE. Its world premiere took place in the Forum section of the 74th Berlin Film Festival, where it received a Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury and a Special Mention for Ecumenical Award. 

In 2024, the Ukrainian Institute is implementing the programme in collaboration with Eurimages, the cultural support fund of the Council of Europe. In total, at least seven film projects will be selected during the year and will receive up to 8,000 euros to promote the film abroad. Film projects not selected in the first call may be submitted to the next calls.