Film Evening in Charleville: Sanatorium & Ballyhoura Documentary Premiere

Celebrating resilience, community, and connection through film

Join us for a special evening of film that highlights the role of the European Union in supporting community integration and fostering cultural understanding.

The evening will open with The EU as a Catalyst for Change: Ballyhoura Development’s Support for the Ukrainian Community, a short documentary created as part of Ballyhoura Development’s Communicating Europe Initiative 2025 project.

Filmed across the Ballyhoura region, it shares the personal stories of Ukrainians who have found safety in Ireland and the communities that welcomed them — showcasing how EU support helps people rebuild their lives and create inclusive rural communities.

Sanatorium (2025)

The main feature of the evening will be Sanatorium (2025) — a powerful documentary comedy by Galway-born filmmaker Gar O’Rourke in his directorial debut.

Shot on location in Ukraine, Sanatorium takes viewers inside the Kuyalnik Sanatorium on the outskirts of Odesa, a vast Soviet-era health retreat where visitors undergo traditional treatments, form unexpected friendships, and experience a summer like no other — even as war unfolds around them.

The film has been selected as Ireland’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards.

Bookings:

Advance booking is essential as places are limited:

Book Here

Contact: Karyna Airapetova – [email protected] | 086 200 7956

Find Out More About Communicating Europe Initiative 2025