Mariana's Room

During the darkest days of World War II, a mother and her young son flee a Ukrainian ghetto, seeking safety. With every mile, Yulia weighs the risks of keeping her boy close, ultimately entrusting him to Mariana, a sex worker living in a brothel. To protect him, Hugo is tucked away in a back closet, a nominal shelter that keeps him cut off from the world outside. From this cramped confinement, his imagination wanders, conjuring ghosts and imagined fates. Over time, Mariana steps beyond her own walls, drawing Hugo into daylight and ordinary life, and in the process reshaping his sense of possibility. The film keeps its focus tight and lets the atmosphere speak for itself.

Directed by Emmanuel Finkiel and released in 2025, Mariana's Room draws on the work of Aharon Appelfeld. The film stars Mélanie Thierry as Mariana with a supporting cast that includes Artem Kyryk and Anastasia Fein.

Box office data for the film has not been publicly disclosed, reflecting its modest festival circuit and limited release so far.

Critics focus on the quiet performance by Mélanie Thierry and Finkiels restrained approach that foregrounds memory and survival. The film asks how mercy and ordinary kindness can alter a child raised in fear, reshaping a fragile sense of belonging.