A Diverse Slate of Seven New Releases
Ukrainian moviegoers were treated to a wide array of new films on January 29, 2026, with seven releases spanning multiple genres and countries. This lineup demonstrates the growing diversity of cinema available in the region. The new titles include:
- The Ukrainian documentary 'Queens of Joy'
- The American action film 'The Loner,' starring Jason Statham
- The Italian drama 'Grace,' directed by Paolo Sorrentino
- The American thriller 'Help,' directed by Sam Raimi
- The French-Belgian drama 'Alpha'
- The Chinese animated film 'Happy Heroes: Multiverse Rescue'
- A restored version of the 1985 Japanese anime 'Tenshi no tamago: Angel's Egg'
Film Details and Background
The documentary 'Queens of Joy' is a Ukrainian-French-Czech co-production directed by Olga Gibelinda. It features the subjects Monroe, Arthur Ozerov (Aura), and Oleksandr Danilin (Marlen Scandal). Its world premiere was at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in March 2025, with its Ukrainian premiere following at the Sunny Bunny festival in Kyiv in April 2025. Tragically, subject Oleksandr Danilin passed away on September 11, 2025, at the age of 40.
'The Loner,' also released on January 29, 2026, is a US-UK co-production directed by Ric Roman Waugh. Jason Statham stars in the lead role, and the film had a budget of approximately $40 million.
Director Paolo Sorrentino's Italian drama 'Grace' also debuted on January 29. It first premiered globally at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where actor Toni Servillo received the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance.
The American thriller 'Help,' directed by Sam Raimi and starring Rachel McAdams, also launched on the same day.
'Alpha,' a French-Belgian co-production directed by Julia Ducournau, was released on January 29 as well. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, and actor Tahar Rahim lost over 20 kg (44 lbs) for his role.
The Chinese animated feature 'Happy Heroes: Multiverse Rescue,' directed by Huang Leo, opened on January 29, 2026. The film originally premiered in 2024.
Finally, a restored 4K remaster of the 1985 Japanese anime 'Tenshi no tamago: Angel's Egg,' directed by Mamoru Oshii, also began its Ukrainian theatrical run on January 29. The director oversaw the restoration for the film's 40th anniversary.
The simultaneous release of these seven films highlights the varied cinematic offerings now accessible to Ukrainian audiences. It reflects both an increasing interest in diverse genres and the active participation of Ukrainian artists in international film projects. The documentary 'Queens of Joy' carries particular emotional weight in its home country, serving as a tribute to its late subject, Oleksandr Danilin.