Sanatorium
On the shores of Odesa, in Southern Ukraine, lies the imposing Kuyalnik Sanatorium, a crumbling Soviet-era health facility that’s seen better days. Join us over the course of a summer season, during which ever-dwindling guests come for the rejuvenating mud treatments and strange electroshock therapies, in search of love, healing, and happiness.
Gar O’Rourke is an award-winning Irish documentary filmmaker. His debut feature, Sanatorium, balances humour and tragedy in the stories of staff and guests staying at a unique Soviet-era health resort in southern war-torn Ukraine. The film will premiere in Spring 2025 and was recently acquired by Oscar and Emmy-winning BBC Storyville for their prestigious documentary film strand. His debut short film, Kachalka, also filmed in Ukraine, went on to win awards and screen in some of the world’s top film festivals along with receiving a Vimeo Staff pick and being acquired by some of North America and Europe’s biggest broadcasters. He is currently in pre-production on his second feature documentary, titled The Siege of Paradise, which takes place on the northern Italian Riviera and begins filming in Spring 2025.