Animals in War

Animals in War is a drama and war anthology consisting of six segments based on true events. The film examines the conflict in Ukraine through the experiences of domestic and wild animals. These stories depict the hardships animals face while fleeing bombardments or losing their habitats, portraying the war as a tragedy that affects both people and the natural world.

The project was a collaboration between international and Ukrainian artists, including actor Sean Penn. It was produced by Essence Film, Sota Cinema Group, and Kleos Art in Ukraine and Germany. The film features contributions from several directors. Maksym Tuzov, Oleksiy Mamedov, Andrii Lidahovskyi, and Yuliya Shashkova served as directors, as did Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi, who previously directed The Tribe in 2014. Sviatoslav Kostiuk and Ivan Sautkin also directed; Sautkin had previously worked on #Babylon'13 and Stronger than Arms in 2014. The screenplay was written by Andrii Lidahovskyi and Sviatoslav Kostiuk, with Oleh Kokhan serving as producer. Released on November 6, 2025, the film has a total runtime of 98 minutes.