European Genre Forum
Inheritance
Katia and Anton are thrilled to move into the apartment they have inherited, but their happiness is threatened by the creature lurking behind the crack in the walls.
Katia and Anton are a young couple. Madly in love, they are building plans for the future, having recently moved into their own flat, which they inherited from Anton’s grandfather. Gradually, Katia begins to doubt her feelings and the relationship begins to deteriorate. One day, while stripping old wallpaper. They notice a small crack in the wall. The more their relationship breaks down, the bigger this crack becomes, and eventually, it becomes a gaping hole. The strangest thing is that there seems to be nothing at all behind the hole in the wall—only dark emptiness, from which a grinding sound can be heard from time to time. When an evil creature emerges from the hole and takes Anton away, Katia engages in a bloody battle to rescue him and break her morbid connection with the past and abandon the plans that have been forced on her.
Keywords: interpersonal relationships, urbanism, intergenerational conflict
Director's note:
In 2021, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I began scripting Inheritance, exploring a crisis in relationships, drawing from personal experience. Why do feelings fade in relationships? And why stay in unhappy ones? When do we start feeling disgusted with our partner in a relationship? How much do society and our past shape our relationships? Now live in a country at war; a monster that was lurking has now shown its true face. Behind the relationship crisis lies a larger story: our post-Soviet legacy, shaped by past generations, demanding reevaluation. The underlying theme of Inheritance is about this; how we, generation after generation, struggle with the same monster. This metaphor inspired and further developed my story into a creepy tale about a couple who face two challenges at once: a relationship crisis and a monster behind the wall. It is like a dream. Like a bad dream that scares you, but from which you don't want to wake up.
Stanislav Bytiutskyi, born in Kyiv, is an architecture and film studies graduate. He's known for articles on film, festival curator and film scholar at the main Ukrainian film archive, Dovzhenko Centre. His debut documentary, "GOODBYE, CINEPHILES" (2014), rethinking the revolution in Ukraine. His short film "24" (2016) earned acclaim as Ukraine's top short film and screened at FID Marseille and Vienna Shorts. His last short film INTOLERANCE (2020) won Best Short Film at Kinokolo-Award (Ukraine).
2020 - Intolerance, fiction Best short film at the annual ukrainian film critic's Kinokolo-Award 2020 Festivals: Odesa International Film Festival, Kyiv International Film Festival "Molodist", LISFF Wiz-Art, Festival Boca do Inferno VIII (Brasil). 2016- 24, fiction Main Prize of the Kyiv International Short Film Festival (KISFF). Best short film of the year according to the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine. Festivals: Odesa International Film Festival, Kyiv International Short Film Festival, UNDOX (Austria). 2014 - Goodbye, Cinephiles, documentary/fiction Festivals: Kyiv International Film Festival "Molodist", BIDEODROMO International Experimental Film and Video Festival (Italy).
Inna Lastochkina is a Ukrainian film producer based in Kyiv. She is a member of the Contemporary Ukrainian Cinema company, and her main passion lies in narrative film. Since the beginning of the war, Inna has produced 3 short films. Her latest projects have been presented at Euro Connection Clermont ISFF, Connecting Cottbus, EFM, Marche du Film, Brussels Co-Production Forum, Midpoint Shorts and other industry platforms.
2026 Inheritance dir. Stanislav Bytiutskyi (development) - Producer 2026 Curtain dir. Valeria Sochyvets (development) - Producer 2025 Unavailable dir. Kyrylo Zemlyanyi (development) - Producer 2024 Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid dir. Vyacheslav Turyanytsya (post-production) - Producer 2022 Re-record dir. Kyrylo Zemlyanyi - Producer 2021 Glorious Revolution dir. Masha Novikova - Line Producer
About: Contemporary Ukrainian Cinema was founded in 2015 to promote young Ukrainian filmmakers. To date CUC produced 16 shorts, 3 documentaries, and 4 features. CUC's films have been screened at various festivals, including Rotterdam, San Sebastián, Sheffield Doc, Clermont-Ferrand, Warsaw, Palm Springs etc. Filmography: [La Palisiada (2023)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13537200/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk) [Re-record (2022)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23341958/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk) [Blindfold (2020)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10244550/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk) [Technical break (2017)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6950774/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk) [Son (2016)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5738844/?ref_=nm_knf_c_2)
About: Established in 2000, Fantastic Films leads in European genre content production. Producers Brendan McCarthy, John McDonnell, and Deirdre Levins prioritize unique stories and creative talent. Notable works include YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER, VIVARIUM, SIX SHOOTER, THE LAST DAYS ON MARS, and WAKE WOOD. Filmography: Woken (2023) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21068514/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk You Are Not My Mother (2021) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10406596/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk Arracht (2020) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9620986/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk Sea Fever (2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2716382/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk Vivarium (2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8368406/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk