Experience the North American Premiere of Vladlena Sandu's "Memory," an autobiographical first feature that was the opening night selection of 2025 Venice Days. This screening is part of the New Directors/New Films 2026 festival and will be followed by a Q&A session with director Vladlena Sandu, offering insights into her film that weaves personal history with significant geopolitical events.

Memory with Vladlena Sandu (Director)

After her parents’ divorce, six-year-old Vladlena moves from Crimea to Grozny, not yet aware of the changes that lie ahead. When war breaks out in Chechnya, it deeply affects her city and family. Years later, filmmaker Sandu reflects on her childhood in this poetic, autobiographical hybrid film, exploring how cycles of violence shape children—and how healing and change are possible.