Searching for Nika
June 27, 2025
Presented by Ukraine Defense Support
June 27 | 7:00pm | SIFF Film Center
When Russian forces invaded Ukraine and filmmaker Stanislav Kapralov’s parents fled the country, his beloved dog Nika ran away. In a heroic attempt to find Nika he goes back to Kyiv and joins several volunteers on a mission to rescue pets left behind during Russia’s brutal attacks. This lucid and riveting portrait of the effects of life under siege is crafted around the bond between humans and animals. – Ruth Somalo
SIFF year-round passes and vouchers are not valid for this screening.
Determined to find her, Stas sets out into a war-ravaged country and, in the process, gets drawn into a world of volunteers risking everything to save abandoned animals. His personal quest transforms into a humanitarian mission as Stas takes part in saving a blind lion, evacuating animals amidst bombings, and along the way, capturing stories of bravery and compassion. By the end of his journey, Stas finally learns the fate of his missing Nika.
- Director: Stanislav Kapralov
- Country: Spain, Ukraine, USA
- Year: 2023
- Running Time: 140 min.
- Language: Ukrainian, Russian, English
- Has Subtitles: Yes