How Do We Say This?

IN PRODUCTION

Two years after fleeing Ukraine, a nine-year-old boy translates for his grandmother in a London hospital.

‘‘…the bond between a child and a grandparent is its own kind of language - one I won’t attempt to define, but one I trust an audience will feel in How Do We Say This? Because in this film, that small act of being together is enough - carrying memory, identity, and hope in ways that do not require explanation...’’

Read Director’s Statement

  • How Do We Say This? follows nine-year-old Max during a hospital visit with his grandmother in London. With gentle guidance from the medical team - and a nudge from grandma - Max steps in to translate, helping the doctors understand her medical history.

    Through small acts of care, curiosity, and play, fragments of a larger story surface: a life in Ukraine upended by conflict, and the home Max and his family are building in the UK.

    Find out more in our Press & Partnership Kit.

  • Format: Short film (9 min)

    Language: Ukrainian/English

    Location: London

    Production Status: Post-production

The Team

  • Fred Goudie

    Director and Co-writer

    Fred Goudie is a writer and director based in London. After completing a Master’s degree in Contemporary History, focusing on British histories of migration and the war crimes in Yugoslavia in the 1990s, they trained in theatre at Actor’s East, developing a performance-led approach to directing.

    How Do We Say This? is their first narrative short film and directorial debut.

  • Young man wearing a hoodie and beanie at a protest or rally, with signs and other protesters in the background.

    Yegor Grushko

    Co-writer and Producer

    Born and raised in Bila Tserkva, Yegor moved to London in 2017. Following the outbreak of war, Yegor helped organise the collection of food, clothes and first aid to the Ukrainian Social Club in London to be sent to Ukraine.

  • A young woman with long hair and a slight smile, wearing a textured sweater, sitting against a plain wall.

    Dr. Esme Goudie

    Co-writer and Medical Advisor

    Esme is a doctor currently training in paediatrics at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital. She obtained her medical degree from UCL.

  • Black and white portrait of a young man with short dark hair, slight facial hair, wearing a dark shirt, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression.

    Brenden Howley

    Producer

    Earlier this year, Brendan line produced All the Angels (starring Paddy Rowan and Corinna Brown). His acting credits include After Life and Silo, as well as The Yellow Tie and Shakespeare & Hathaway S6 - both to be released in 2026.

  • Black and white photo of a woman with long hair, wearing a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, looking at the camera with a slight smile, hair blowing in the wind.

    Rick Joaquim SASC

    Cinematographer

    Rick was featured in the prestigious ARRI Camera Showreel in 2019, and his work has since been showcased at leading festivals including Sundance, Cannes, Aesthetica, and the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. His work as a cinematographer has earned him multiple awards, including ‘Best Cinematography’ at the British Short Film Awards in both 2022 and 2024.

  • Black and white photo of a smiling man outdoors with trees in the background.

    Jenya (Yevheniia) Shymshyrian

    Ukrainian Casting

    Jenya is a London-based film-actress, originally from Ukraine. She is an acting teacher for children and adults, working at the Ukrainian Social Club in Twickenham. As the co-founder of London’s first Ukrainian Youth Theatre, she has directed several productions performed at venues across the city, including the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond.