Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired North American rights to "Ash and Crayons," a documentary from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky about Ukrainian children whose lives have been upended by the war with Russia. The film will receive a US theatrical release on 20 November, World Children's Day, alongside impact and awards campaigns, marking the latest chapter in Afineevsky's decade-long documentation of the conflict.

The documentary blends verité footage with animation by Ukrainian artists to tell the stories of seven children who have endured catastrophic injuries and forcible deportation, framing their resilience as a central theme. Afineevsky previously earned an Oscar nomination for 2015's "Winter on Fire" and made its sequel, "Freedom on Fire," in 2022; an early cut of "Ash and Crayons" won the Cinema for Peace Award in Berlin, presented by Hillary Clinton. Briarcliff chief Tom Ortenberg and producers Kevin Goetz and Galyna Sadomtseva-Nabaranchuk expressed pride in the project, which involved more than 100 Ukrainian artists and industry professionals along with support from Ukraine's Ombudsman's Office and state film agency.