A Ukrainian boy named Roman Oleksiv has been awarded the 2026 Cinema for Peace Dove Award at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival.
The award was presented to Oleksiv for his role in the film ‘Children in the Fire’ by American film director of Ukrainian roots, Evgeny Afineevsky.
As part of the World Congress of Ukrainians campaign, ‘Stand with Ukraine. Protect the Future Generations, Afineevsky joined forces with the congress to create the film, which tells the story of eight young Ukrainians from Mariupol, Nova Kakhovka, Kharkiv, and other regions who endured occupation, deportation to Russia, captivity, and severe injuries.
Oleksiv was one of them. In July 2024, the young lad sustained severe burns, about 45 percent of his total body surface, including his back, when Russian forces struck Vinnytsia with Kalibr missiles. After an extremely difficult period, Oleksiv and his mother were evacuated from Vinnytsia to hospitals abroad.
In November 2025, Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, awarded Roman with the ‘Future of Ukraine’ award.
Responding to the event, the national news agency of Ukrinform, in a post, said, “This award is not only about Roman. It is about all Ukrainian children who grow up to the sounds of sirens.” It also commended the Cinema for Peace for “supporting Ukraine, for attention to Ukrainian children, and for their stories being heard at the highest international level.”
