The Ukrainian short documentary We’re Fine has won the top prize in the Documentary Short category at this year’s Austin Film Festival, one of the most respected storytelling festivals in the United States. The victory now makes the film eligible for the 2026 Academy Awards.

Directed by Misha Karpenko and produced by Kelsey Oluk (Long Live the State, Stockholm Syndrome, Naked Gardens), We’re Fine follows a group of artists and volunteers who in 2024 brought a monumental art installation to the Nevada desert for Burning Man. Their piece, spelling I’M FINE in giant metal letters, was built from fragments of war — broken road signs, twisted steel and debris collected from liberated Ukrainian towns.

What began as an act of creation turned into a collective ritual of survival. Through dust, heat and shared exhaustion, strangers became collaborators, transforming the wreckage into a symbol of resilience.

“This work was never about pretending everything’s okay,” says producer Vitaliy Deynega. “It’s about the hidden ways people stay alive, about strength that speaks louder than words.”

More than 30 metres long and seven metres high, the installation stood in the desert as both wound and witness. Karpenko’s direction gives the story quiet power, showing how art becomes a way to speak when language fails.

“I wanted to show the courage of people who turn devastation into dialogue,” Karpenko explains. “To be fine is a decision, a quiet act of resistance.”

Composer Katya Richardson (The Last Repair Shop, The Final Copy of Ilon Specht) and colorist Joel McWilliams (Blade Runner 2049, Jumanji: The Next Level) add emotional depth and visual precision to the film. The cast features Vitaliy Deynega, Oleksiy Sai, Anatoly Tapolsky and Maria Moroz, all part of the original I’m Fine project.

Founded in 1994, Austin Film Festival celebrates storytelling in all forms. This year’s competition received more than 17,000 entries from 112 countries, with only 35 projects awarded. We’re Fine was the only Ukrainian film recognised by the jury, a moment that reinforces Ukraine’s growing voice in world cinema.

The I’m Fine project website, created by Ukrainian Witness and CF.Digital, has also been shortlisted for the ADCE Awards 2025 in Barcelona, which honour creative work across Europe.

Credits
Director: Misha Karpenko
Producer: Kelsey Oluk
Key Cast: Vitaliy Deynega, Oleksiy Sai, Anatoly Tapolsky, Maria Moroz
Composer: Katya Richardson
Colorist: Joel McWilliams

Photo: FilmFreeway / We’re Fine
Source: imfine.ukraine.ua

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