Two days of screenings, premieres, culture and conversations turned a mountain resort in Transcarpathia into a meeting point for Ukrainian and international cinema.
On 12 and 13 September 2026, Pylypets, in the Carpathians, became something rarely seen in the mountains. The Max Sir International Film Festival took over Grand Hotel Pylypets for two full days of screenings, premieres and creative exchange. It brought together directors, actors, screenwriters and artists from across Ukraine and beyond, along with the audiences who came to watch, listen and take part.
It all began with the arrival of the guests. A red carpet was rolled out at Grand Hotel Pylypets to welcome directors from Ukraine, actors and representatives of the films presented at the festival. Directors from abroad also travelled to Pylypets to present their films in person. Among the guests were the finalists of the Ms&Mrs Art Ukraine 2026 competition.
Over the two days, conversations that usually happen online or in the corridors of larger festivals took place there instead — between screenings and in the hotel's common spaces. Ukrainian filmmakers met international colleagues, and first-time directors talked with more experienced ones. Guests spoke about ideas, future collaborations and the challenges of filmmaking in the country's current situation. This is the festival's mission in practice: connecting Ukrainian cinema with the wider world of film.
"We were delighted to host such a prestigious festival at Grand Hotel Pylypets."
The official programme reflected both the classical art of cinema and its newest frontiers. Films competed in several categories: short narrative film, feature-length, documentary, and films created with the help of artificial intelligence. This year's edition also gave screenwriters a stage of their own — a dedicated screenplay block put the people who begin every film, often unseen, in front of an audience alongside the directors.
On the first day, the finalist films were presented to the audience. The festival's winning film, Cuerpos by Reiff Gaskell, was presented as well. Twenty-one films reached the finals:
- Cuerpos — Reiff Gaskell (Award Winner)
- A Film by Roland Wehap — Roland Wehap
- Ama Mortem, For It Is All For Art — Olha Farlenna
- Brothers' Song — Māris Āboliņš
- The Cards We're Dealt — Isaac Thornton & Danny Taylor
- The Cinema That Never Was — Mark Wachholz
- D'ombre et de lumière — Fabien Loïacono
- The Danube Delta and the Healing Power of Nature — Emmanuel Rondeau
- Dov'è che ci siamo già visti? — Claudio Piccolotto & Gemma Iuliano
- The Endless Shifts: Stories That Keep Care Alive — Felipe Noriega
- He Doesn't Smoke — Lee Kang-ryeong
- Here Lies Our Tempest — Misa Ogawa
- Le Meilleur du Monde (The Best in the World) — Marion Standefer
- The Lion — Abigail Zealey Bess
- Perdition — Kebe Iwara
- Remember — Jordan Browne
- Scáth (Shadow) — Chris McKenna
- SHE-PACK — Fanny Ovesen
- Something Pointless — Asa Bailey
- T3X-R3 — Paul Yoshio Steinwachs
- Wake — Alan McKenna
The next day, a special Ukrainian block let Ukrainian filmmakers present their work directly to festival guests and answer questions in person: House of Street Culture, Monsters, Ama Mortem, The Light, and Bogin Lapruchan. The block included a table of discussion where representatives of Ukraine interacted with international directors who had travelled specially for the festival, followed by a table dedicated to scripts.
The second day also included a panel discussion with representatives of the Ukrainian block. Because screenplays were part of the competition programme, questions of screenwriting were on the table too. Guests met and discussed the works and the trends in Ukrainian cinema together with members of the jury — some present at the event, others joining online.
At the same time, the festival hosted the final of Ms&Mrs Art Ukraine, showcased during the festival's red carpet. The competition was created by the Chilean artist Max Sir, who wanted to recognise and highlight the work of women in art in Ukraine — especially in these times, as a fundamental base of society. Every participant is asked to create a social or socio-cultural project.
During the festival, Max Sir also gave guests the chance to see in person his painting "Dreams of Ukraine" — the same artwork later reproduced on an official Ukrposhta postage stamp.
On the second day, the finalists of Ms&Mrs Art Ukraine 2026 took part in a panel discussion. Each of them shared her most memorable impressions of the competition, spoke about the social project she had developed, and the region of Ukraine she represents. The jury members who had evaluated the participants the day before also shared their thoughts on the beauty of art and the strength of Ukrainian women today.
The finale closed with a catwalk show in which participants wore national dress by the Ukrainian brand Vyshyte — a reminder that traditional dress remains a living part of Ukrainian culture.
What guests remembered most was the atmosphere. Audiences watched films together, applauded and shared impressions, and everyone seemed to take real pleasure in it. Among the mountains, with autumn arriving in the Carpathians, the festival felt less like a formal event than a celebration of cinema, art and Ukrainian culture, and of the people who make them.
Max Sir International Film Festival continues to grow as a platform where cinema, art and Ukrainian culture meet. Its doors stay open to filmmakers, artists and creative communities from around the world, and Transcarpathia has proved once again that it is a welcoming home for them. We hope to see you all again next year.