X
- 2023
- Giant Pictures
- 1 h 27 m
- 2023
- Giant Pictures
- 1 h 27 m
Summary Children and staff in a special kind of home: an institution for children who have been removed from their homes while awaiting court custody decisions. Staff do their best to make the time children have there safe and supportive.
Directed By: Simon Lereng Wilmont
- 2023
- Giant Pictures
- 1 h 27 m
- 2023
- Giant Pictures
- 1 h 27 m
A House Made of Splinters
79
6.5
Where to Watch
Summary Children and staff in a special kind of home: an institution for children who have been removed from their homes while awaiting court custody decisions. Staff do their best to make the time children have there safe and supportive.
Directed By: Simon Lereng Wilmont
Where to Watch
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 Critic Reviews
79
90% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
10% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 Critic Reviews
79
90% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
10% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
A House Made of Splinters is made with such aching sensitivity that it’s a marvel a camera was used and not some form of mind-meld.
While inseparable from Ukraine and its echoes, the film argues quietly but convincingly that its story is not specific to its time and place, necessarily, but is rather about how traumatized children everywhere might respond, react and/or rebel.
This is a predominantly observational affair, marked by unusual tenderness and human interest, shot with a camera that feels all but invisible to its subjects — belying the director’s delicate, precise approach to light and framing.
A House Made of Splinters tells a story that needs to be told as loud as possible. While uncomfortable at times, the filmmaker is respectful and empathetic.
Wilmont's film edges into emotional exploitation at times, but the raw moments he captures in this facility are a testament to the trust he clearly built with everyone there—and that ability to capture truth without interfering or manufacturing gives his film an undeniable emotional power.
I found A House Made of Splinters to be more heartbreaking than hopeful, but I admired the moments of beauty that Wilmont delivers in a film that isn’t quite consistent enough in its storytelling approach.
Since the quality of documentaries tends to hinge on how compelling its subject matter is, A House Made of Splinters is further complicated by the fact that Wilmont’s filmmaking is largely perfunctory. Thus its draw leans almost entirely on the children and their tattered lives. In this way it does feel a touch exploitative, even if the goal is to shine light on an overlooked, ongoing tragedy.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 4 User Ratings
6.5
50% Positive
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
50% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 4 User Ratings
6.5
50% Positive
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
50% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Production Company
Final Cut for Real,
Story,
Donkey Hotel,
Moon Man,
Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR),
ARTE,
BBC Storyville,
Det Danske Filminstitut,
Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI),
Finnish Film Foundation,
AVEK,
Ukrainian State Film Agency,
Ministry of Culture of Ukraine,
Nordisk Film & TV-Fond,
MEDIA Programme of the European Union,
International Media Support,
Danske Filminstruktører,
Danmarks Radio (DR),
Sveriges Television (SVT),
Yleisradio (YLE),
VGTV,
Vlaamse Radio en Televisie (VRT),
Ríkisútvarpið-Sjónvarp (RÚV),
Against Gravity,
Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep (VPRO),
RTV Slovenija,
Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR),
Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS)
Release Date Feb 21, 2023
Duration 1 h 27 m
Genres
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Nomination
Danish Film Awards (Robert)
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
