In Limbo

Recovering from surgery as war reaches Irpin near Kyiv, the filmmaker flees with her cat to her parents’ village, documenting fragile routines under threat. This cinematic diary observes a family suspended between staying and leaving, revealing how conflict reshapes home, intimacy and survival.

Alina Maksimenko: ‘This documentary tells the story of my family, who find themselves thrust into the heart of the war in Ukraine, confronted with life-altering decisions. While deeply personal, the story reflects a universal human struggle against an extreme situation [...]. At the film’s core are my film notes from the initial days of the war, documented in a diary-like form, capturing the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions I experienced. I yearned to comprehend the unfolding reality, to grasp the essence of this war that, until now, had only existed in the abstract realm of books, films, and stories – a war that had abruptly transformed into our terrifying reality.

Before 24 February 2022, I possessed no visual, literary, or figurative vocabulary capable of expressing the horrors of war. This language was created along with the unfolding narrative. In Limbo is not simply my story; through the lens of my camera, I explore human relationships: my bond with my parents, their enduring love for each other, their attachment to their home and their land.’