On 10 October 2025, Gift of Life held a special charity screening of Quiet Life, a powerful drama about a refugee family in crisis by acclaimed Greek director Alexandros Avranas, at Curzon Bloomsbury, London. The event gathered our esteemed patrons, trustees, friends and supporters to raise funds for life-saving medicines for children battling cancer and serious blood diseases.
The evening featured a post-screening Q&A with Chulpan Khamatova, who shared heartfelt reflections about the film’s themes and the importance of compassion and solidarity in difficult times.
The actress shared her reflections on working on the film:
“The film was originally called Apathy, which captured its essence perfectly, both apathy as a diagnosis and as society’s indifference. Together with the director, we tried to convey the feeling of an ancient Greek tragedy without moralising or forcing pity from the viewer. My experience of meeting children battling cancer, their parents, and doctors have profoundly changed my world and my outlook on life and that, too, is reflected in this film. We must find time to give children love, to hold them close, because life is short. We can suddenly lose our children, just as children can lose their parents. The filming took place in the spring of 2022, so I deeply understood my heroine’s inner emptiness and fears and was hardly acting at all.”
Lyuba Galkina,Chulpan Khamatova and Aleksandra Vereshchetina
Thanks to the contribution of our guests and donors, the evening raised over £16,000 for the medical needs of our patients. The production costs were generously covered by our long-term supporter, and all funds raised will go directly to providing Defitelio – a vital medication for children undergoing cancer treatment and recovering after bone marrow transplants. At £500 per vial, each dose can mean a child’s only chance to survive.
Chulpan also emphasised the importance of donors’ contribution to the charity’s mission:
“Gift of Life was established in England to raise funds for cancer drugs unavailable in Russia, and to send these medications directly to children in hospitals. In the most complex cases, the charity also covers consultations and treatment abroad”.
In the past few years of daunting geopolitical issues, financial strains, and tricky logistics the provision of life-saving medicines has become far more difficult and expensive. “But fortunately, thanks to our donors, the charity continues its work, ensuring that children, who are innocent and bear no responsibility for the decisions of adults, still have a chance to overcome their illness” – said Chulpan.
We extend our warmest thanks to our media partners – Zima Magazine, Afisha London, Akcent UK, #КакМнеТеатрвЛондоне, Pushkin House, How to Wine, Konstantin Pinaev, Aliona Muchinskaya and everyone for their invaluable support in spreading the word, and to our wonderful volunteers for helping make the night such a success.
Special gratitude goes to the creative team of Quiet Life and Chulpan Khamatova for her continued support and dedication to Gift of Life’s mission of helping children beat cancer.
Photo credit: Valentina Korabelnikova