Akhmetov backs Alisa Kovalenko’s Oscar run for Traces with $200,000 scholarship

Rinat Akhmetov will fund Ukrainian director Alisa Kovalenko’s international Oscar campaign for the documentary Traces with a $200,000 scholarship. Ukraine selected the film as its submission for the 99th Academy Awards, and the support is meant to boost its visibility as it advances through the awards race.

Why it matters: - The $200,000 scholarship gives "Traces" added resources for international promotion at a critical stage of the Oscar race. - The support marks the first charitable foundation in Ukraine to back the Oscar campaign of a Ukrainian film. - The film centers women who survived violence and torture during russian aggression, giving their stories a wider global platform.

What happened: - Rinat Akhmetov decided to give director Alisa Kovalenko a scholarship of $200,000, or UAH 9 million, for the film’s Oscar campaign. - Ukraine selected "Traces" on September 16, 2026, as its national submission for the 99th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. - The support is intended to help present the documentary to the international film community during the next stages of the awards campaign.

The details: - "Traces" is directed by Alisa Kovalenko and co-directed by Marysia Nikitiuk. - The film follows Ukrainian women who experienced violence and torture during russian aggression. - The women in the film reject the label of victims and frame their stories around resilience, solidarity, mutual support and hope. - Nataliia Yemchenko, chair of the supervisory board of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, said the decision was personal and not accidental. - Yemchenko said the Museum of Civilian Voices had already agreed on a strategic partnership with the film’s team because the film matches its philosophy. - One central subject is Iryna Dovhan from Donetsk, whose story became widely known through The New York Times. - Dovhan now helps other women and documents their testimonies in de-occupied territories of Ukraine. - Kovalenko is a member of SEMA Ukraine and works in human rights advocacy. - In 2019, Kovalenko became the first woman in Ukraine to speak publicly about sexual violence she experienced in connection with the war. - Kovalenko said the film’s selection for the 99th Academy Awards is an honor and a responsibility, and that the platform will amplify women’s voices and draw attention to crimes and torture committed by russian occupiers. - The film premiered at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival in the Panorama Dokumente section and won the Audience Award. - "Traces" later won the documentary competition at the Movies That Matter human rights film festival in The Hague. - That win opened the possibility for the film to be considered for Best Documentary Feature Film. - The film also won two awards at Millennium Docs Against Gravity and was named among the top 20 audience favorites at Hot Docs in Toronto. - The Ukrainian premiere took place at Docudays UA. - More information is available in the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation's social media channels.

Between the lines: - The scholarship signals backing for a documentary that blends awards strategy with human-rights storytelling. - The film’s subject matter and festival track record suggest the Oscar campaign is also being used to expand international attention on the war’s human cost. - The partnership with the Museum of Civilian Voices positions the project within a broader effort to document civilian experience.

What’s next: - The Academy Awards shortlist for Best International Feature Film will be announced on December 15, 2026. - The five nominees will be announced on January 21, 2027. - The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 14, 2027.

The bottom line: - "Traces" now has financial backing and momentum as it moves through the Oscar process, with its campaign tied to both awards potential and testimony from women affected by the war.