Sanatorium: An Irish Film Contending for an Oscar
The film "Sanatorium" directed by Irish filmmaker Gar O'Rourke, filmed in Ukraine, is competing for a nomination for the "Oscar-2026" in the category of "Best International Feature Film" from Ireland.
This was announced by the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA).
Gar O'Rourke, hailing from Galway (Ireland), directed the film, with producers Andrew Friedman, Ken Wardrop, and Samantha Corr backing the project. The film tells the story of the "Kuyalnik" sanatorium near Odesa, built in the 1970s, which serves as both a hotel and a medical center amidst the backdrop of war. The world premiere of "Sanatorium" took place at the end of March at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival. The film subsequently participated in various international festivals, including Visions Du Reel in Switzerland, the Edinburgh International Film Festival, DocuDays UA, the Melbourne International Film Festival, and Galway Film Fleadh, where it won the award for "Best Irish Feature Documentary of 2025".
The film will be shown in Irish cinemas on September 5. The shortlist of international feature films eligible for the "Oscar-2026" will be announced on December 16, with the final five nominees revealed on January 22, 2026.
