Cry My River, a screening of the Ukrainian eco-documentary by Olesia Morhun

In the beautiful opening scene of this immersive documentary, from the maker of Carol of the Bells and Deportation, a young girl playing in a woodland setting is asked by her mother where she thinks a vanished river has gone to. Her voice resounding amid the loud calls of birds and insects, she points into the distance and replies: 'It ran that way'. Then she marches towards the camera, and says, 'It's scared of us.'

From there, Ukrainian director Morhunets-Isaienko, who began to make this film while pregnant, weaves an account of environmental advocacy that is at once righteous, troubling and poetic. A compelling reminder of the humanity and natural beauty of a country currently enduring a devastating war, and a universal expression of the need to defend habitats and wildlife.

(Duration: 80 mins / with subtitles)

More about Olesia Morhunets-Isaienko

Olesia Mogrunets-Isaenko was born in the village of Kozelets, in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine. She is a graduate of the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University. A former staff member of the NGO Open Politics, she worked as a film director within in the Technomedia company, and has been a member of the children's studio Red Dog. In 2014, she received a presidential grant to create a script for the documentary film Music of the Monocle about the life and work of Danylo Demutskyi. Her film credits include the documentaries Deportation, and the feature length dramas Carol of the Bells and The Tale of Money.

Listowel Writer's Week: where readers celebrate, and writers find their flow

Listowel Writer's Week is Ireland's oldest literary festival, and one of its most prestigious. Famously hospitable, the beautiful North Kerry town of Listowel is internationally renowned as a wellspring of literary inspiration and heritage. The 2024 Listowel Writer's Week festival programme, exploring the theme Mother Nature, has been curated by the poet Martin Dyar.

See writersweek.ie for more details and the full programme

Please be aware that all events at Listowel Writers' Week will be recorded and photographed for promotional and archival purposes. Your presence constitutes consent to be filmed or photographed. Thank you.