The Last Message documentary is a 2026 Ukrainian feature-length film directed by Andrii Voloshyn and Oleksii Liebiediev.
Through a deeply personal family story, the film exposes Russia’s war against Ukraine, explores the nature of Ukrainian resistance, and highlights the international community’s responsibility to support Ukraine.
Kelsie Kimberlin, an American of Ukrainian descent who grew up in the United States, embarks on a journey through Ukraine, trying to understand the gap between the external perception of the war (the media, political statements, and aid figures) and the Ukrainian experience from within – everyday life in a country at war. Through memories, a journey to her cousin’s grave, and encounters with his fellow soldiers, the protagonist tries to understand why he volunteered to fight and what he ultimately gave his life for.
The concept of the film
The concept of the film stems from a search for answers to what justice might mean for those whose lives have been taken or irrevocably changed by war. The documentary examines the disconnect between external perceptions of the war – shaped by media headlines, political statements, and financial aid figures – and the internal lived reality of Ukrainians experiencing daily life inside a country at war.
At the heart of the film is Kelsie Kimberlin, an American-Ukrainian singer and activist, who travels from the United States to Ukraine following the death of her 21-year-old cousin, Andrii Rachok. Andrii volunteered for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was killed on February 22, 2024, during the Battle of Avdiivka. Moments before his death, Andrii tried to call Kelsie, but she missed the call. This moment serves as the emotional foundation for the film’s title – The Last Message.
Embarking on a journey from Washington, D.C. to the Ukrainian frontlines, Kelsey sets out to answer two fundamental questions.
First, why Ukraine continues to face an acute need for funding and weapons despite large-scale international assistance. Through concrete examples – drones, field hospitals, volunteer initiatives, and frontline villages – the film consistently demonstrates that war is a relentless conflict of attrition. Viewers see firsthand that there is no “surplus of aid,” but rather an ongoing fight to mitigate losses and save lives.
The second question addresses why Ukrainians continue to fight despite external calls for “peace” and compromise. The answer unfolds through her cousin’s personal story and the people Kelsey meets along the way. Her cousin’s choice to volunteer becomes the key to understanding this resistance: he joined the fight not out of grand ideology or heroism, but from an innate conviction that standing up to protect his country was the only possible choice.
During her journey across Ukraine, she meets with Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Ukrainian human rights lawyer, singer and activist Jamala, military personnel, journalists, volunteers, and citizens whose lives have been transformed by the Russian – Ukrainian war.
The Last Message builds a bridge between two distinct realities: Ukraine, where war is an all-encompassing daily existence, and the United States, where the conflict is often viewed through the lens of news headlines, political debates, and international aid figures.
Ultimately, the film conveys that for Ukrainians, the war is neither an abstract conflict nor a subject for negotiation – it is a struggle for sheer existence, freedom, and home.
Production
The Last Message was created by an independent team working across Ukraine and the United States of America. The film is directed by Andriy Voloshyn and Oleksii Liebiediev, written by Marharyta Vlasova, and produced by Andriy Samerkhanov.
Filming in Ukraine took place along the entire frontline – from Mykolaiv and Kherson to Sviatohirsk in the Donetsk region and Izium in the Kharkiv region – where the consequences of Russian aggression are not mere footage on a screen, but a daily reality. Select scenes were also shot in Bethesda, Washington, D.C., and New York City in the United States.
In Ukraine, filming arrangements, coordination, and post-production were provided by EMPR.media. In the U.S., project organization and fundraising were managed by the Kelsey Kimberlin Foundation. Notably, no state budget funds -neither Ukrainian nor foreign – were used in the creation of the film.
The Last Message was completed on January 10, 2026. The country of origin is Ukraine, with a runtime of 1 hour and 27 minutes.
The film features two audio tracks: English and Ukrainian, available in Stereo and 5.1 surround sound respectively.
Music
The film’s score deserves special attention. It was composed by Yurii Shepeta, a Ukrainian jazz pianist, composer, and arranger whose name is synonymous with exceptional musical quality.
Written in Kyiv, the soundtrack is fueled by Yurii’s own reflections on endless air raid sirens and the sounds of explosions, as he lived in one of the city’s most frequently shelled districts. The composer admitted that scoring The Last Message was a deeply challenging process. He repeatedly shared how difficult it was to express these events through music – emphasizing that the reality of war itself is extraordinarily hard to convey through sound.
In The Last Message, the music does not merely accompany the visuals; it immerses the audience in the sonic reality of the war – something that cannot be fully conveyed on screen alone.
The film also features original songs by Kelsey Kimberlin, released in support of Ukraine between 2023 and 2025, including “Star”, “Dream of Peace”, “Armagedon”, “Turn Back”, and “Another Chance to Live Again”.
The documentary’s soundtrack was recorded at the Recording House of Ukrainian Radio in Kyiv and has been submitted for consideration in the Best Original Score category for the 99th Academy Awards.
World and Theatrical Premieres
The world premiere of The Last Message took place on August 12, 2026, in New York City, USA, in English as part of the Chain NYC Film Festival, where the film won the award for Best Documentary.
In Ukraine, the official theatrical premiere in Ukrainian will take place starting September 24, 2026, at the Oscar Cinema Network in Kyiv.
An advance premiere screening will take place earlier in September , 2026 in Kyiv.
A special screening of the film will also be held at America House Lviv on September 29, 2026.
In the United States, the theatrical release will launch on October 9, 2026, at the legendary Laemmle Royal Theatre in Los Angeles, California, followed by screenings in New York City.
Additionally, Ukrainian diaspora organizations in the US and the UK, diplomatic missions of Ukraine – including the Embassy in Kenya – and film festivals across Europe have expressed strong interest in hosting screenings of The Last Message.
National Selection for the Academy Awards
In August 2026, The Last Message became one of the original five films – and eight overall following the extension of submissions – accepted by the Ukrainian Oscar Committee for consideration to represent Ukraine at the 99th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
The official entry selected to represent the country will be chosen on September 16, 2026, during the Ukrainian Oscar Committee’s meeting.
Official Film Trailer
Festivals and Awards
Over the first nine months of 2026, the The Last Message documentary garnered more than 40 awards and selections across six categories at film festivals in the North America, Europe, and Asia.
In particular, in February 2026, The Last Message won two major awards – Best Documentary Feature and Best Director Documentary Feature – at the World Film Festival in Cannes. In August 2026, the film received the Best Documentary Feature award at the Chain NYC Film Festival in New York City.
Video Interviews Recorded During the Filming of The Last Message
Interview with Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Ukrainian human rights lawyer:
Interview with singer Jamala on Ukraine, Crimea, and the war:
Interview with the Director of an active maternity hospital in Kherson:
Interview with representatives of the Blood Donation Center in Kherson:
Interview with residents of the mined village of Kamianka, Donetsk region:
Interview with Nikita, a brother-in-arms of the fallen soldier from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the AFU:
Interview with Danylo Burovin, Head of the Defense Work Department at the Bucha District State Administration:
Interview with defender Andriy Halat, Head of the Information and Analytical Center of National Security of Ukraine:
Video Announcement regarding the federal lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. against Russia, Iran, and North Korea over the death of 21-year-old cousin Andrii Rachok in Avdiivka, Ukraine.
Film Crew
| Role | Name |
| Executive Producer | Andriy Samerkhanov |
| Directors | Andriy Voloshyn, Oleksii Liebiediev |
| Co-Executive Producer | Kateryna Malofieieva |
| Line Producer | Zoryana Samerkhanova |
| Composer | Yurii Shepeta |
| Directors of Photography | Oleksii Liebiediev, Dmytro Bondarenko |
| Camera Operators | Anton Golovin, Andriy Kuznetsov |
| Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer | Maksym Hladetskyi |
| Production Sound Recordist | Volodymyr Komar |
| Written by / Screenplay | Andriy Voloshyn, Marharyta Vlasova |
| Colorist & Mastering | Volodymyr Morozov |
| Editor | Andriy Voloshyn |
| Translators | Yulia Volfovska, Sofiia Pentiukhina |
| Dubbing Cast | Yana Ivanytska, Petro Sova |
| Still Photographer | Pavlo Khomiuk |
| Driver | Volodymyr Funikov |
Directors’ Biographies
Andriy Voloshyn
Biography
Andriy Voloshyn is a Ukrainian director, producer, and film editor born on July 27, 1980, in Chernivtsi. He began his professional career in audiovisual production as a line producer and production manager. A defining milestone in his career was his long-term collaboration with director and producer Serhiy Krutsenko, during which Voloshyn transitioned from line producing to editing and directing while working across concert, television, theatrical, and cinematic projects.
As an executive and line producer, he contributed to numerous cultural and film initiatives, including the multimedia show The Little Prince for the ROSHEN Fountain, projects under the “Watch Ukrainian!” initiative, the anthology film It All Begins in Kyiv, the cinematic version of Yevhen Stankovych’s folk-opera When the Fern Blooms, the concert film Insha Rika featuring the band Druha Rika with NAONI, and the documentary film The Address on the Wall. He earned his degree in directing from the National Academy of Managerial Staff of Culture and Arts.
In early 2022, Andriy Voloshyn joined the Expert Council of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation in the audiovisual arts sector. Following the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, he shifted his primary focus toward documentary filmmaking.
Between 2022 and 2023, together with Oleksii Liebiediev, he co-directed the documentary trilogy Extraordinary Fascism, which explores the nature of modern Russian fascism, the mechanisms of state propaganda, and the ideological roots of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
In 2023, serving as director and executive producer, he collaborated with American singer Kelsie Kimberlin on the war-themed music videos Armageddon, Another Chance To Live Again, and Turn Back.
In May 2024, following his relocation to the United States, Voloshyn proposed expanding Kelsie Kimberlin’s story into a feature-length documentary film. This marked the inception of The Last Message, in which Voloshyn serves as co-director, co-creator, co-writer, and film editor.
Selected Filmography
2017 – On One’s Own Land (short narrative film) – Executive Producer
2018 – The Clown (short narrative film) – Executive Producer
2018 – It All Begins in Kyiv (film anthology) – Executive Producer (Stronger Than an Angel and Toni & Tonya segments)
2019–2020 – When the Fern Blooms (cinematic version of Yevhen Stankovych’s folk-opera) – Executive Producer
2020 – Insha Rika (concert film featuring Druha Rika and NAONI) – Executive Producer, Editor
2022 – The Address on the Wall (documentary feature) – Executive Producer
2023 – Extraordinary Fascism (documentary trilogy) – Co-Director (with Oleksii Liebiediev)
2023 – Armageddon, Another Chance To Live Again, Turn Back (Kelsie Kimberlin music videos) – Director, Executive Producer
2026 – The Last Message (feature documentary) – Co-Director, Co-Creator, Co-Writer, Editor
Film Awards & Festival Honors
On One’s Own Land (Executive Producer) – Won the Grand Prix at the Yuri Illienko Kaniv International Film Festival. Director Sasha Kirienko received the Best Director Award at the Crown of Carpathians International Film Festival, and the film secured First Place in the Narrative Short Film category at the Light Film Festival.
The Address on the Wall (Executive Producer) – Recognized across international film festivals. Serhiy Krutsenko won Best Director at the Wallachia International Film Festival; the film earned an Honorable Mention at the Ogeechee International History Film Festival and was named a Finalist at the Pápa International Historical Film Festival.
Oleksii Liebiediev
Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Producer.
Education: Ivan Karpenko-Karyi Kyiv National University of Theatre, Film and Television. Kyiv, Ukraine.
Selected Filmography
2012 – Alchemy of the Word (feature documentary, Ukraine) – Director-Cinematographer
2014 – Krasna Malanka (feature documentary, Ukraine) – Director of Photography
2017 – The Naive Art of M. Onatsko (feature documentary, Ukraine) – Director of Photography
2018 – Cold Rain of Loneliness (narrative short, Ukraine) – Cinematographer
2018 – Stronger Than an Angel (narrative short, Ukraine) – Director of Photography
2021 – The Address on the Wall (narrative feature) – Director of Photography
2022 – Extraordinary Fascism (documentary series, feature-length) – Director, Director of Photography
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