Poster for Scary lullaby, directed by Daria Lebedeva, AFIN 2026

Short Film

Scary lullaby

Directed by Daria Lebedeva

AFIN 2026 Nominee · 5 nominations

  • 2026
  • 25m
  • Russia
  • Russian
  • R18+
  • Romance Comedy
  • Fiction
  • Drama
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Stills

6 frames

Still in the running. Winner announced at Awards Night, 19 September 2026.

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Credits

Cinematography

Production Company

Synopsis

This is a high-stakes romantic comedy set in an alternative reality where people are given strange diagnoses.

Yura has 300,000 heartbeats left to live. You might think - nonsense. He thought so too, until right in front of him another patient’s heartbeat counter hit zero, immediately resulting in… instant death.

Now Yura wants to cheat nature and slow his heart like a mountain monk. He plans to turn his remaining week into an eternity. For this, he chooses the calmest place he knows - the roof of his building.

Tonya comes to the same rooftop, a girl with an equally rare condition: she must never fall asleep.

To prolong her life as much as possible, Tonya needs adrenaline, electric shocks, and emotional extremes. But beside her is the calm Yura, who begs her to stay away - because any strong emotion brings him closer to the end.

On the nomination

This movie is about the thirst to feel alive!

Director's Statement

Daria Lebedeva, filmmaker portrait provided to AFIN.

When I read Anna Nikiforova’s script “Scary lullaby,” I immediately knew I really wanted to make this film. The main transformation of the characters’ arcs resonates with me deeply: two people who were sure they were living their life to the fullest, but in fact existed within a format approved by society. Yura’s character denies himself everything and makes his life as bland as possible, just to live a little longer. Then the vibrant Tonya bursts into his life, inviting him to love recklessly, here and now. Once freed from prejudice, making love right on the rooftop and scaring all the seagulls in the area with his shout, Yura seems to remember his original settings. Tonya, who behaves like a wild creature throughout the film, deep down actually longs for tenderness - and ultimately receives this tenderness from Yura. Along with it comes a sense of acceptance: she is embraced exactly as she is - imperfect, with messy hair and smeared mascara. Her final act of love - when she looks up at the sky while Yura is kissing her - says to me that love for others begins with love for yourself, with accepting your true self. The story of these two characters moves me to the core. We tried to shoot it as sincerely as possible, and I truly hope you will love this film.

What makes this one special

  • Australian PremiereThe filmmaker tells us this is where it happens
  • Nominated in 5 AFIN categoriesBest International Short Film · Best Cinematography · Best Director · Best Sound & Music · Best Lead Performance

Director's Biography

Daria Lebedeva, filmmaker portrait provided to AFIN. Daria Lebedeva Director

Daria Lebedeva is a Russian director and screenwriter from Ivanovo, the author of short and feature fiction films and the founder of the screenwriting academy “In the Opening Credits.” Early years and education Daria Lebedeva was born on May 4, 1990, in Ivanovo, Russia. In 2009, she graduated from the Ivanovo Art College named after M. I. Malyutin with a degree in Design and Printing. After college, Lebedeva studied at the Saint Petersburg University of the Humanities and Social Sciences (SPbGUP), majoring in Advertising and Public Relations, completing her studies around 2012 - 2013. Later she graduated from the Bondarchuk Film School “Industry” and also trained at other film schools and courses, including Alexander Mitta’s Film School, where she studied screenwriting and directing. Films and creative work One of Daria Lebedeva’s notable short films is “Every 88,” a 2015 film about people with autism that attracted attention from both the public and film festivals. The film was shot with the support of the local community in Ivanovo and became an important milestone for her, both as a social statement and as a directing project. Daria’s first feature film was the romantic comedy “Driving Me Crazy,” which premiered in 2025. For this film, in 2026 she received the main award of the “MOST” Film Festival and became a laureate of the Moscow Art Theatre Award, winning the prize “Major Breakthrough in Cinema” as a director and emerging talent. She also became the main subject of Tatiana Fedyunina’s documentary film “Driving Me Crazy. Debut Chronicles.” Teaching and screenwriting academy In addition to directing, Daria is the founder and head of the screenwriting academy “In the Opening Credits,” aimed at authors who need a “fast track” into the industry to write and sell their first script. According to Lebedeva, most of the academy’s students are already mature individuals, and many graduates successfully enter the film and television industry. In 2025, the film “Not-So-Holy Valentine,” written by one of her graduates, was released. Currently in production are the films “The Big Wave” and “Snowy Eight,” also written within the “In the Opening Credits” academy. The short film “Scary lullaby” was written in the academy’s short film course by Anna Nikiforova. Filmography “On the Way” (2013), short film - director, screenwriter “One Love” (2013), short film - director “Every 88” (2015), short film - director, screenwriter “On Different Sides” (2021), short film - director, screenwriter “Cheat Meal” (2022), short film - director, screenwriter “Kotya” (2023), short film - director, screenwriter “Driving Me Crazy” (2025), feature film - director, screenwriter

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Scary lullaby was an official Nominee for Best International Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Sound & Music and Best Lead Performance at the AFIN International Film Festival 2026, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.

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AFIN 2026

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