Short Film AFIN 351
FAL: Fatal Act of Love
Directed by 
Polina Kino
AFIN 2026 Winner
- 2026
- 18m
-
Ukraine - Ukrainian
- MA 15+
Stills
6 frames
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Credits
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Synopsis
On the shore, two young men make plans for their lives amid the apocalypse. Their conversation reveals an invisible abyss between them. Whose perspective will prevail? For one, the new world is a space of freedom and new possibilities. For the other, it is silence and meaninglessness
What makes this one special
- Australian PremiereThe filmmaker tells us this is where it happens
- Nominated for Best Lead Performance
- A first-time filmmaker
From the Judges
From the Judges
Two performances hold the screen together, grounded and vulnerable in entirely different registers, and the panel came back again and again to the chemistry between them and the way each actor carried a distinct emotional perspective while still feeling wholly connected. Expressions of nihilism and grief land with real weight, and the lighting is beautifully handled throughout. Direction keeps the shifting tension of the conversation feeling natural and compelling, a simple and deeply affecting piece of work.
Festival note
Daniil KinoBest Supporting Performance
A performance of strong commitment to the role and to the world they built. Daniil Kino holds space beautifully in every scene, and his character's mindset and values stand in strong juxtaposition to the character opposite him.
Director's Biography
Polina Kino Director
Born in Kyiv in 1994. She first completed her acting education and later received a degree in directing. She works as an acting teacher and has been part of the Kyiv Independent Theatre on Mykhailivska Street since 2009, where she directs performances for both adults and children. She made her film directing debut in 2026 with the short film FAL: Fatal Act of Love.
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FAL: Fatal Act of Love was Winner of Best Supporting Performance and a Nominee for Best Lead Performance at the AFIN International Film Festival 2026, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.
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