Deep in a forest by the Baltic Sea, a group of Ukrainian families come together to start the healing process at an animal therapy retreat.

After the Rain: Putin's Stolen Children Come Home is a powerful and deeply human documentary from director Sarah McCarthy that confronts one of the most harrowing humanitarian crises of the modern era. Set in a forest retreat on the Baltic Sea, the film follows a group of Ukrainian families as they begin the slow and painful process of healing after their children were illegally deported to Russia during the ongoing war.

At the heart of the story are the children themselves - survivors of forced separation - who begin to rediscover trust and joy through animal-assisted therapy with golden retrievers and Palomino horses. In the hands of compassionate counselors, their trauma gradually unfolds, revealing the emotional and psychological toll of displacement, fear, and resilience.

McCarthy's lens captures not only the quiet moments of recovery but also the families' unwavering determination to reclaim what was taken from them. The result is an intimate portrait of strength and renewal that connects personal healing with global accountability - the very atrocities that led to the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin.

Executive produced by acclaimed Academy Award-nominated producer and director Sheila Nevins, After the Rain made its world premiere at Doc NYC, earning praise for its emotional honesty and cinematic restraint. It is both a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a haunting reminder of the cost of war on its most innocent victims.

Media

 

Cast & Crew

Actors:

•       Veronika Vlasova as Self
•       Sasha Mezhevoy as Self

Director: Sarah McCarthy

Producer: Sarah McCarthy

Producer: George Chignell

Producer: Olga Beskhmelnitsyna

Producer: Sasha Odynova

Additional Details

Label: IndiePix Films

Genre: Documentary

Language: Ukranian

Run Time: 79 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 05/12/26

UPC: 845637064939