Since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian leaders have imposed methods for undermining Ukraine’s future by targeting its children. Russian troops are regularly accused of abducting minors, then forcing them into adoptions or captivity so they can be re-educated as Russian patriots.

Returning to the streets where he filmed his Oscar-nominated documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, director Evgeny Afineevsky invites survivors of Russia’s abductions and attacks to share their stories.

Children in the Fire is the collective war diary of resilient Ukrainians who witnessed the worst of humanity, yet remain motivated young athletes, performers and public servants. Through live-action footage and Ukrainian artists’ animation, the documentary joins eight kids on international journeys to pursue their dreams. Each child embodies the promise of their homeland and the potential of a nonviolent world.