‘Ukraine: For the Children’ Trailer Premieres at Cannes Doc Day

A Woman’s Perspective on Peace, War, and Hope from ELYSIAN’s Karen Floyd, Now Garnering Nearly 30 International Film Awards

CANNES, FRANCE, May 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Marking a powerful beginning to ELYSIAN’s next decade of storytelling, the trailer for "Ukraine: For the Children" premiered in front of a distinguished international audience Tuesday at Cannes Doc Day, part of the 78th Cannes Film Festival. The screening was followed by an intimate – sometimes intense – question-and-answer session with the film’s Executive Producer, Karen Floyd, a South Carolina-based filmmaker, publisher, and former prosecutor and judge.

The documentary offers a compelling woman’s perspective on the war in Ukraine and has already received nearly 30 international film honors. It was inspired by a striking mural in Kyiv depicting a soldier’s hands shielding a woman’s – representing the ultimate sacrifice of the soldiers and the women’s capacity to suffer – and the woman’s hands in turn protect those of a child, symbolizing hope for the country’s future.

Floyd, accompanied by a former commander in Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Battalion, made her second journey to Ukraine in late 2023. Speaking at Cannes, she emphasized the emotional urgency of her work.

“When war becomes daily reality, lives and livelihoods are lost in the rubble,” Floyd said. “But in every frame of this film, there is also hope — because the people we met have not surrendered their humanity.”

The trailer debuted at 5:45 p.m. CET and was screened four times, each showing followed by a 30-minute Q&A with Floyd. Attendees represented a truly global audience — filmmakers, producers, publishers, distributors, and documentarians from Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Ukraine, the United States, and regions across Asia, Africa, Australia, and North America.

In February 2024, on the second anniversary of the conflict, an abbreviated cut of "Ukraine: For the Children" was screened at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. ELYSIAN held the exclusive premiere of the full film at the American Theater in Charleston in July.

And in November, ELYSIAN held a private screening of the film at the Casa del Cinema in the heart of Rome. The next day, at the World Changers Ethical & Innovation Summit at the Vatican, clips were used to spark discussions about the humanitarian role women play in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

"Ukraine: For the Children" is the sequel to Floyd’s award-winning 2023 documentary "Fight for Ukraine: 12 Women’s War," recognized for its raw portrayal of female resilience in conflict zones.

The trailer’s international debut came just one day after Floyd received the Âme de lumière (Soul of Light) Impact in Cinema Award, presented during the Sustainable Responsibility Gala. This prestigious honor celebrates visionary storytellers who create meaningful change through film and humanitarian outreach.

“To be honored here at Cannes — among the most influential voices in global cinema — is both humbling and deeply meaningful,” Floyd said. “ELYSIAN was created to inspire and connect extraordinary women around the world through storytelling, beauty, and impact. This award affirms that when purpose meets platform, our reach knows no bounds — and our stories can truly change the world.”

Floyd joins a global circle of changemakers committed to philanthropic filmmaking and responsible storytelling. Under her leadership, ELYSIAN has become a dynamic multimedia platform that spans digital, print, film, and live events, with a mission to elevate the voices of women across the globe. Its philanthropic arm, ELYSIAN Impact, has distributed nearly $17 million over the past decade to support causes focused on women, children, animals, service, and the environment.

ELYSIAN's recent work also includes "CatWalk FurBaby," a documentary capturing a behind-the-scenes journey from South Carolina to New York Fashion Week. The film supports 21 charitable organizations across the U.S., offering each their own version of the film to use as a fundraising tool.

As ELYSIAN celebrates its 10th anniversary, the debut of the "Ukraine: For the Children" trailer at Cannes signals not only a continuation of the brand’s commitment to storytelling with purpose — but a bold step onto the global cinematic stage.

For more information, visit https://readelysian.com.

Jason Spencer
ELYSIAN
+1 864-596-7501
jason@readelysian.com