Ukrainian director Zhanna Ozirna wins international award in Cannes

Ukrainian director Zhanna Ozirna has won the new Build Your Dream Award at the 79th Cannes Film Festival for her debut film Honeymoon.

Source: Ukrainian State Film Agency

Details: The award was presented by an international jury chaired by Chinese director Chen Kaige, which also included Mélanie Laurent, Hafsia Herzi, Yann Demange and Thierry Chèze.

The award shortlist included 15 of the best debut foreign films released in French cinemas over the past year.

The Build Your Dream Award is a new international prize founded by BYD, a Chinese multinational manufacturing conglomerate, together with Mediawan, a European media and production studio, to support and fund young filmmakers. The winner receives a grant of €40,000 to support their future creative work.

The romantic thriller Honeymoon tells the story of a young married couple, Taras and Olia, who spend their first night in a new flat in a small town near Kyiv after a party with friends. At dawn, their lives change dramatically: they do not manage to leave before Russian troops appear outside the building.

The couple find themselves trapped in their own flat, without electricity, water or phone signal. Over five days, everything unnecessary between them falls away, leaving only the truth about themselves and genuine intimacy between two people.

The world premiere of Honeymoon took place in 2024 at the Venice Film Festival. The film was later screened at festivals in 15 countries. Its awards include the Grand Prix at the Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival, the Golden Atlas Jury Grand Prix at the festival in Arras, France and the Grand Prix at the Sofia Film Festival in 2025.

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