Film: “A HOUSE MADE OF SPLINTERS” — Nominated for a 2023 Oscar

Directed by Simon Lereng Wilmont

As the war in Eastern Ukraine takes a heavy toll on poor families living near the frontlines, a small group of strong-willed social workers works tirelessly in a special kind of orphanage to create an almost magical safe space for kids to live in while the state decides the fate of the child and family. The film follows four unrelated children—Sasha, Eva, Kolya, and Alina, with many, many more populating the background—as they navigate the temporary accommodations. They come from alcoholic parents, guardians self-medicating to cope with despair. Each kid initially appears unencumbered by their respective situation, but Wilmont slowly peels back the cycles—drinking, self-harm, violence—that these children have either fallen into or are dangerously close to adopting. Simmering underneath the flicker of their smiles, the glint of their laughs, are old souls forced to grow up far too soon. Simon Lereng Wilmont won the prestigious 2022 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award for A HOUSE MADE OF SPLINTERS and the film is nominated for a 2023 Oscar in the documentary film category!

Running Time: 87 minutes
Guest Speaker: Simon Lereng Wilmont, Director via pre-recorded Zoom
Q&A moderated by Tom Needham, Host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio.
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