Pink Monkey

22/05/2026

What a week!

From meaningful meetings and beautiful new connections, to speaking about Polina’s story in rooms we once only dreamed about.. it has been emotional, surreal and deeply energising.

Cannes, you were magic!

Thank you for the opportunity, and thank you to everyone who shared a conversation, opened a door, offered encouragement or simply listened.

Now back to creating. Back to Ukraine. Back to the story.

19/05/2026

Follow and support - link in bio.

18/05/2026

For the past five years, we’ve been following Polina, a young Ukrainian girl growing up in the shadow of war.

When we first met her, she was 10 years old, digging trenches with her friends in the forest, painting flowers over bullet holes and dreaming to heal wounded animals.

Since then, we’ve watched her grow, grieve, question, survive, and carry things no child should have to carry.

POLINA is not a traditional war documentary. It’s a journey into the inner world of a child — where memory, fear, imagination and hope all collide.

We’re now at the final stage of production and raising the funds needed to complete the film, move into post-production, and bring Polina’s story to audiences around the world.

Through our Documentary Australia fundraiser, Australian donations are tax deductible. Every contribution helps us finish this film with the care, beauty and strength Polina’s story deserves.

If you feel moved, please consider donating or sharing the page.

In the ruins of war, a teenage girl searches for healing through her dream of saving animals.

17/09/2025

Polina's story is already inspiring change across the globe. Hear these students reflect on war, its impact on children, and why sharing her story matters.

When students at an Australian school discovered Polina's story, they were deeply moved. Inspired by her resilience, they chose to bring her journey to life on stage as part of Wakakirri, Australia's largest national performing arts festival for schools.

Wakakirri is built on the belief that "great stories inspire change." Each year, schools across the country create story-dances that reflect important issues, experiences, and dreams. For these students, it wasn't enough to imagine - they wanted authenticity. They researched the war in Ukraine, connected with Polina's story, and transformed it into a powerful performance that raised awareness of children caught in war and armed conflict.

Through movement, music, and imagination, the students shared Polina's hope, pain, and courage with their community. Their performance became more than a dance - it was a call to action, reminding audiences that children everywhere deserve safety, freedom, and the chance to dream.

At its heart, this is a story about empathy, belonging, and the belief that even young voices can inspire change.

17/09/2025

Polina’s story is already inspiring change across the globe. 🌍 Hear these students reflect on war, its impact on children, and why sharing her story matters.

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When students at an Australian school discovered Polina’s story, they were deeply moved. Inspired by her resilience, they chose to bring her journey to life on stage as part of Wakakirri, Australia’s largest national performing arts festival for schools.

Wakakirri is built on the belief that “great stories inspire change.” Each year, schools across the country create story-dances that reflect important issues, experiences, and dreams. For these students, it wasn’t enough to imagine — they wanted authenticity. They researched the war in Ukraine, connected with Polina’s story, and transformed it into a powerful performance that raised awareness of children caught in war and armed conflict.

Through movement, music, and imagination, the students shared Polina’s hope, pain, and courage with their community. Their performance became more than a dance — it was a call to action, reminding audiences that children everywhere deserve safety, freedom, and the chance to dream.

At its heart, this is a story about empathy, belonging, and the belief that even young voices can inspire change.

When students at an Australian school discovered Polina’s story — a young Ukrainian girl dreaming of becoming a veterinarian amid the devastation of…

09/07/2025

We’re so moved by the amazing students and staff at Mayfield East Public School for shining a light on Polina’s story and standing with children affected by war. Thank you for your heartfelt fundraiser and for making a difference.

polinamovie.com

A group of Mayfield East Public School students raised $3000 for Ukraine girl Polina.

05/03/2025

Documenting war atrocities isn’t about capturing suffering.
It’s about preserving truth, seeking justice, and ensuring history cannot be rewritten by those who wish to bury it.

Every photo, every testimony, every frame of film stands as evidence against silence and denial.

Through witnessing and documenting we honor the victims and demand accountability, ensuring that future generations remember—not to repeat, but to learn.

04/03/2025

We're deep into production in Ukraine; every day is a powerful experience. Intense, emotional, and vital—that sums up our trip so far. We’re capturing raw, unfiltered experiences, thoughts, and stories through the voice of 13-year-old Polina, who sheds light on the experiences of 473 million children worldwide currently caught in war and conflict.

Frontline encounters, heart-wrenching reunions, and crucial political moments – we're documenting it all. Our final two weeks will take us to the very heart of the conflict.

Defining moments of history are unfolding right here and now. With significant support to Ukraine from the US on pause now and other countries taking a stance on their position. This is a crucial time for stories like this to be told and amplified.

We need your financial support to keep going.

Share and donate by following the link below: https://documentaryaustralia.com.au/project/polina-a-childhood-interrupted/

Any amount, your support goes a long way.

28/02/2025

Watching Zelensky and Trump today triggered something deep in me, at first it was rage, fear, then something heavier I can’t quite name, then the real stirring. Shane and I argued about whether we should do a live update, share our perspective from the ground in Ukraine real-time and how it relates to the documentary we’re working on. Emotional. Tired. And disliking live updates - I walked away. And nearly slammed the door.

My own response ripped me apart. One side screaming to stand up for the truth, the other wondering if it even matters and what’s the right way to go about it. Speak out or stay quiet? Hope or despair? The world feels just as torn. Split and fighting against itself in ways we’ve never seen before.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” (Mark 3:25)

The meeting triggered another wave of media coverage, but instead of focusing on the gravity of Zelensky's leadership, many headlines have missed the mark entirely. It’s disheartening to see how the media often shapes narratives that serve division rather than progress. Criticizing diplomatic approaches distracts from the real issues at hand. Issues of global justice, peace, and the defense of democratic values.

Zelensky is not just fighting for Ukraine; he’s standing up for Europe, for global stability, and for the principles of justice that we all claim to value. He deserves praise, not condemnation. The very fact that he has managed to maintain composure, negotiate, and continue to represent his people with determination during such a tumultuous time is a testament to his leadership. Pursuit of peace was reduced to geopolitical games, focusing on the spectacle of Trump. But in the end, it’s not about Zelensky or Trump.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand,” (Mark 3:25)

This media distortion is part of a larger narrative that fuels division. We live in a world where it seems that confrontation is valued over collaboration, and national interests are prioritized over collective peace. The actions and words of figures like Trump and Putin only deepen these divides, pushing us further toward global conflict and a cycle of hatred. In moments like this, where power plays are at the forefront, what is the true cost of division that does not only threaten Ukraine's future but also endangers the peace of the world at large?

Again, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” (Mark 3:25)

We are called to be peacemakers, to stand for justice, and to resist the forces that seek to divide and destroy. We must stand for what is right, even when it is difficult. The choices we make, what narratives we believe, what causes we support, what truth we uphold - it all matters.

Let's not be swayed by media distortion, nor by leaders who seek only power.

Instead stand with those who pursue peace with courage and faith.

26/02/2025

They are forced to grow up too quickly, learning words like “evacuation” and “missile strike” before they’ve even mastered their times tables. Schoolyards that should be full of laughter are turned into shelters. Bedtime stories are replaced with whispered reassurances that tomorrow will be better—though parents themselves don’t always know if it will be.

War doesn’t just destroy homes—it steals the intangible, the things children need most: their sense of peace, their feeling of safety, the simple joy of a carefree childhood.