Cinematic Achievement: Sanatorium Eyes Oscar
The film "Sanatorium" (Sanatorium), directed by Irish filmmaker Gar O'Rourke and shot in Ukraine, is set to compete 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), is the director, with Andrew Friedman, Ken Wardrop, and Samantha Corr serving as producers. The film tells the story of the "Kuyalnik" sanatorium near Odessa, built in the 1970s, which serves as both a hotel and a medical center amid the backdrop of war. The world premiere of "Sanatorium" took place in late March at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival. Subsequently, the film participated in various international festivals, including Visions Du Reel in Switzerland, the Edinburgh International Film Festival, DocuDays UA, the Melbourne International Film Festival, and the Galway Film Fleadh, where it won the title of "Best Irish Feature Documentary of 2025".
In Irish cinemas, the film will be released on September 5. The shortlist of international feature films vying for the "Oscar-2026" will be announced on December 16, with the final five nominees revealed on January 22, 2026.
