When Lightning Flashes Over the Sea

Odesa is scarred by war, but everyday life continues for its residents—in the streets, backyards, and damaged buildings. Quiet observations capture moments in which day laborers smoke with a view of the sea, children navigate through the sunlight, and craftsmen work on rooftops. The absence of family members, power outages, and destroyed facades point to the state of emergency without directly naming it. WHEN LIGHTNING FLASHES OVER THE SEA accompanies people of different ages and backgrounds in their current living environment. A refugee from Abkhazia, a clergyman, a Shoah survivor, and a father with two sons on opposite sides of the conflict provide insight into the social reality of a city at war. Ukrainian director Eva Neymann deliberately focuses on restrained observation and visual precision. The film was shown at the 2025 Berlinale. It belongs to contemporary European arthouse cinema and independent documentary film. Its approach also reveals a closeness to political documentary film, particularly in the way personal stories are understood as expressions of social circumstances.