A House Made of Splinters                                           4 suns

In the documentary department we travel to eastern Ukraine for a sad story of children in pain. Many children are forced into orphanages as the courts seek to protect them from broken homes brought on by the plague of widespread alcoholism. This problem has only gotten worse with the 2014 war with Russia and the loss of job opportunities created by it. In this documentary the filmmakers go inside one temporary shelter for these kids where they live and are cared for by the social workers while the courts decide whether they can return to their families or be placed in an orphanage. Despite the circumstances this shelter offers protection and some stability to these children who have been neglected at home. The filmmakers focus on four children, both boys and girls, in particular, following their stories as they try to reconcile matters at home. It is especially heartbreaking to see children whose parents do not even make the effort to call or see them.