In a year when cinema often feels disconnected from reality’s urgent rhythms, Irish documentary filmmaker Gar O’Rourke has delivered something extraordinary with SANATORIUM, a Ukrainian-language film that has just been selected to represent Ireland at the 98th Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category. This isn’t just another festival darling or awards season contender—it’s a masterpiece of observational cinema that transforms what could have been tragedy tourism into something far more profound and necessary.
What emerges over 90 riveting minutes is a film that defies every expectation about wartime documentaries. O’Rourke opens with a manager on the roof shouting into his phone, “Igor, where the f*** are you?!” and immediately establishes that SANATORIUM will be many things, but a downer isn’t one of them. Instead, it’s strange, funny, heart-warming, and cathartic in its moments of lived poignancy—above all, it’s a tribute to human resilience that feels both specifically Ukrainian and universally recognizable.
The director’s instinct for character proves impeccable. There’s the perpetually hassled boss with his sharp wit, a young woman seeking fertility treatments who has found unexpected community, and a mother-son duo whose dynamic rivals any comedy partnership you know from home. These aren’t victims or symbols—they’re fully realized people navigating an impossible summer with dignity, humor, and an almost stubborn commitment to normalcy.
O’Rourke has described his vision of Kuyalnik as capturing “an intangible aura and magic within this building,” and he’s bottled exactly that. The film’s most powerful image—people taking outdoor mud baths while smoke from distant bombs rises on the horizon—encapsulates both the absurdity and the profound logic of their situation. It’s a shot that will haunt you not because of its despair but because of its defiant insistence that life, indeed, goes on.
This represents a significant moment for O’Rourke’s career, showcasing his ability to find the human story within geopolitical chaos without exploitation or sentimentality. Supported by Creative Europe MEDIA’s development funding, SANATORIUM demonstrates how Irish cinema can engage with global stories while maintaining its distinctive voice and perspective.
The film’s Oscar selection marks more than just international recognition—it signals Irish cinema’s growing confidence in tackling complex, urgent subjects with the sophistication they deserve. O’Rourke has created something genuinely beguiling, a documentary that makes the case for cinema’s unique power to find hope in the most unlikely places. In a world that often feels like it’s falling apart, SANATORIUM reminds us that sometimes the most radical act is simply the decision to keep going, mud baths and all.
🎬 THE YEAR OF ÉANNA HARDWICKE 🎬
From SAIPAN to THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD to NO ORDINARY HEIST—this is the actor`s defining moment. An IFTA winner. A West End star. Now a desperate man caught in a heist like no other.
In cinemas THIS WEEK: a gripping true story of the infamous Northern Bank robbery. £26.5 million. Two families held hostage. No way out.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
BELFAST`s Jamie Dornan will host SNL UK this weekend.
Dornan, known for his role in FIFTY SHADES OF GREY and THE TOURIST, will front the program alongside Brit-award winning band Wolf Alice.
The show marks the first British incarnation of the sketch series, which was created by Lorne Michaels and first launched in the US in 1975.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
In a brand-new interview, OUTLANDER star/executive producer, Caitríona Balfe, discusses THAT pivotal Season 8, Episode 3 scene where Claire saves a baby.
A must-watch for OUTLANDER fans!
More at irishfilmtv.com.
✨ Brendan Gleeson just reminded us why he`s one of the greats ✨
Yesterday at the London Standard Theatre Awards, Gleeson took the night for his performance in THE WEIR—and honestly? there`s no one else who could have done it quite like him.
This is an actor who doesn`t perform. he breathes into the role. he becomes it. soul-deep, nuanced, the kind of characterisation that makes you forget you`re watching acting at all.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
* THE IMMORTAL MAN now on Netflix *
This is not a spinoff. This is not a revival. This is Tommy Shelby`s final reckoning—the definitive end to one of the most captivating characters television has ever created.
The gypsy king`s last move is being made. Are you ready?
More PEAKY at irishfilmtv.com.
Fresh from his @iftaacademy LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, Ciaran Hinds returns to Irish theatres in MIDWINTER BREAK.
Hinds and co-star, Leslie Mansville, deliver amazing performances - they move through this film with a kind of choreographed delicacy, two people who have built their relationship on a foundation of interlocking vulnerabilities and mutual evasions. In theatres tomorrow, Mar 20.
More info at irishfilmtv.com.
The best characters aren`t heroes. they`re human.
Andrew Scott doesn`t do safe. from the priest in FLEABAG to tom ripley`s calculated desperation, he chooses roles that make you uncomfortable—and that`s exactly why you can`t look away.
In a new @sxsw interview, Scott gets candid about his most famous roles!
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Happy St. Patrick`s day everyone!☘️
Forget the green beer for a minute and grab your coziest blanket and dive into some of the best Irish movies to watch on St. Patrick`s Day 🎬✨
From epic adventures to heartfelt dramas, there`s something for everyone. Which one`s making your watchlist? 🍿
More at irishfilmtv.com.
She swept the Globes. She swept the BAFTAs. And last night, Jessie Buckley swept the Oscars — becoming the first Irish woman in 98 years of Academy history to win Best Actress 🍀
For a girl from Killarney who started on a TV talent show, this wasn`t just a win. It was a coronation.
More Jessie Buckley Oscar glory at irishfilmtv.com.
