Film about Shakhtar: a project with Hollywood producers and screenwriters
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
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Oscar nominees are working on a feature film about the most dramatic season of the Donetsk club
The film project about FC Shakhtar was officially presented during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 9, 2025. The film will focus on the 2022/23 season, which became a trial for the club: after an unprecedented FIFA decision, foreign players left the team, yet Shakhtar, against all predictions, continued to compete on the international stage – precisely in the first year of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Serhii Palkin, FC Shakhtar CEO:
– Shakhtar has a unique story that deserves to be told to the world. Since 2014, when we were forced to leave our home in Donetsk, our journey has been marked by challenges that no football club should have to face. But throughout these years, our players, coaches and fans have shown resilience and an unbreakable spirit. I believe this film will be not only a great piece of cinema, but also a tribute to the remarkable people who continue to fight for their dreams, their club and their country.
The film’s producers are Christian Tureaud (The Perfect Game, The Hornet’s Nest) and Ren Trella (Straight Lies), with executive producers Paul Tamasi, Stuart Pollack, David Salzberg and Andy Reimer.
Christian Tureaud and Ren Trella, the film’s producers:
– When we first heard Shakhtar’s story, we were amazed and immediately realised it deserved to be brought to the screen. We are thrilled that Paul and Eric will be working on the script – their careers are filled with compelling true stories about sport, war and historical events. When we learned about their love for the game of millions, it became clear that this was meant to be.
Oscar-nominated screenwriters Paul Tamasi and Eric Johnson (The Fighter, Patriots Day, The Outpost, The Finest Hours, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) have signed on to write the screenplay. They will focus on Shakhtar’s incredible season – a true story of courage, heroism and survival against the backdrop of war.
Paul Tamasi and Eric Johnson, the film’s screenwriters:
– It is a tremendous honour for us to tell this story. It has everything we love about cinema – emotion, inspiration, drama. Above all, it is a tale of the triumph of the human spirit and the unbreakable strength of the most important values: freedom, compassion and courage. The very name Shakhtar reflects the club’s deep roots in the mining region; the team have become a symbol of hope for the nation in its darkest times, a “light in the darkness,” a reminder of who we are meant to be. We are Shakhtar.
Serhii Palkin, FC Shakhtar CEO:
– Shakhtar has a unique story that deserves to be told to the world. Since 2014, when we were forced to leave our home in Donetsk, our journey has been marked by challenges that no football club should have to face. But throughout these years, our players, coaches and fans have shown resilience and an unbreakable spirit. I believe this film will be not only a great piece of cinema, but also a tribute to the remarkable people who continue to fight for their dreams, their club and their country.
The film’s producers are Christian Tureaud (The Perfect Game, The Hornet’s Nest) and Ren Trella (Straight Lies), with executive producers Paul Tamasi, Stuart Pollack, David Salzberg and Andy Reimer.
Christian Tureaud and Ren Trella, the film’s producers:
– When we first heard Shakhtar’s story, we were amazed and immediately realised it deserved to be brought to the screen. We are thrilled that Paul and Eric will be working on the script – their careers are filled with compelling true stories about sport, war and historical events. When we learned about their love for the game of millions, it became clear that this was meant to be.
Oscar-nominated screenwriters Paul Tamasi and Eric Johnson (The Fighter, Patriots Day, The Outpost, The Finest Hours, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) have signed on to write the screenplay. They will focus on Shakhtar’s incredible season – a true story of courage, heroism and survival against the backdrop of war.
Paul Tamasi and Eric Johnson, the film’s screenwriters:
– It is a tremendous honour for us to tell this story. It has everything we love about cinema – emotion, inspiration, drama. Above all, it is a tale of the triumph of the human spirit and the unbreakable strength of the most important values: freedom, compassion and courage. The very name Shakhtar reflects the club’s deep roots in the mining region; the team have become a symbol of hope for the nation in its darkest times, a “light in the darkness,” a reminder of who we are meant to be. We are Shakhtar.