When Lightning Flashes over the Sea - ENFF

• Date:
• Time: Time depends on the date
• Location: Filmhuis Den Haag

Mythologised on film and in history for centuries, from surviving sieges to Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin", Odesa is besieged again with intensity, but Neymann would rather focus on its citizens, their dreams, and their will to live their lives despite horrible circumstances. It’s more of a film about the tenuous existence of life in this heroic city than about the devastation of war. Shot over two years, it documents daily lives in exceptional times: a boy who believes wishes come true with lightning strikes over the sea, a widow caring for stray cats, young girls taking selfies, a mother cooking and remembering her son. Sometimes still and contemplative, sometimes practising "direct cinema" montages of everyday moments, Neymann documents a city that is tough and frail. This film lingers on the unspoken poetry of survival, bearing witness that even under heavy bombardment, Odesa can be a city of hope.

Eastern Neighbors Film Festival 2025

Discover more about the Eastern Neighbours Film Festival – where cinema from Eastern and Southeastern Europe takes centre stage. From 5 to 9 November 2025, explore the full line-up of films, events, and special guests featured in this year’s edition at Filmhuis Den Haag.

Show on map