Isabelle Stever built this film from real stories within her and screenwriter Anna Melikova's circle: a lesbian-identified woman whose boyfriend has recently transitioned, trying to evacuate Kyiv as the war closes in. The country's strict passport policies and systemic transphobia turn their escape into a question of who the state thinks they are. If you want a war film told at human scale, this is a tender, timely choice.
What to expect
Expect a North American premiere screening of an intimate Ukrainian-language drama with English subtitles. It is a quiet, character-focused film rather than a battlefield story. It sits in the festival's Main Slate, the core selection of the year's most celebrated new films.
Good to know
- Screenings are at Film at Lincoln Center on West 65th Street; take the 1 train to 66 St–Lincoln Center
- Festival screenings often sell out, so buy ahead and check for day-of rush or standby lines
- Seats are reserved, so arrive a little early to clear the lobby and find your row
- Screens in Ukrainian with English subtitles
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Common questions
What is I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming about?
A young queer couple trying to evacuate Kyiv during the war, complicated by passport rules and transphobia.
Where did it premiere?
It competed at the Locarno Film Festival before its NYFF North American premiere.
