Vladyslav Fidryk Develops 'Anxiety' Into A Feature Film

TORONTO — What began as a deeply personal story about trauma, survival, and the invisible battles of mental health has evolved into an internationally recognized independent film. Now, Ukrainian-born, Toronto-based filmmaker Vladyslav Fidryk is preparing to take his psychological drama 'Anxiety' to the next level with a feature-length adaptation.

For writer, director, producer, and lead actor Vladyslav Fidryk, 'Anxiety' is more than a film. It is a deeply personal artistic expression inspired by real-life experiences, exploring the psychological aftermath of violence and the difficult journey toward healing.

After surviving a violent assault in Toronto in March 2025, Fidryk faced months of physical recovery, multiple surgeries, and significant changes to his everyday life. During that period, he began transforming his experiences into a screenplay that would eventually become 'Anxiety', a short psychological drama examining the emotional struggles that often remain invisible to the outside world.

Rather than presenting trauma solely through physical suffering, the film explores how fear, anxiety, isolation, and unresolved memories can shape a person's relationships, identity, and perception of reality.

At its centre is Alex, a young man struggling to regain control of his life while confronting emotional wounds that refuse to disappear.

Through intimate storytelling and psychological tension, 'Anxiety' examines vulnerability, masculinity, identity, and the courage required to confront painful experiences.

A Remarkable Journey Through International Film Festivals

Since its completion in early 2026, 'Anxiety' has attracted attention across the international independent film festival circuit, receiving official selections, semifinalist placements, and recognition from festivals in North America and Europe.

Among its festival achievements are official selections at The Indie Gathering International Film Festival in Ohio, the Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival, the Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival, and the Stockholm City Film Festival.

The film also received recognition through Rome Prisma Film Awards and reached semifinalist status at Indie Short Fest and IndieX Film Fest in Los Angeles, as well as the Luleå International Film Festival in Sweden.

One particularly meaningful milestone came when 'Anxiety' was screened at The Indie Gathering International Film Festival in August 2026, giving Fidryk the opportunity to present his work to an international audience in the United States.

For a filmmaker who had only recently completed his first major independent project, these recognitions represented encouraging steps in his emerging filmmaking career.

Top 10 Finalist in the Film.io × HollyShorts Competition

One of the film's most significant milestones came in August 2026, when 'Anxiety' was named among the Top 10 finalists in the Film.io × HollyShorts competition, an initiative connecting independent filmmakers with the broader HollyShorts film community.

The competition's association with the HollyShorts Film Festival is particularly noteworthy because HollyShorts is an Academy Award-qualifying short film festival, recognized for providing qualifying pathways to Oscar consideration through designated award categories.

While the Top 10 finalist distinction does not itself constitute an Academy Award qualification or an official HollyShorts festival selection, it places 'Anxiety' within a competition associated with one of the notable short-film festivals in the international industry.

The recognition marked an important moment for Fidryk, whose project gained visibility through Film.io, a platform supporting emerging filmmakers and audience-driven project discovery.

The film's Top 10 placement also brought attention to its themes of emotional resilience, personal identity, and the long-term effects of trauma.

For Fidryk, the achievement signalled that a story born from an intensely personal experience could resonate beyond geographical and cultural boundaries.

Bringing 'Anxiety' to Life Against the Odds

The production of 'Anxiety' was itself a testament to determination and independent filmmaking.

Filmed in Toronto over three days, January 24–26, 2026, the approximately 12-minute short was completed under challenging circumstances. The production faced two unexpected location cancellations and a severe winter snowstorm, forcing the team to adapt quickly while maintaining its creative vision.

Despite these obstacles, Fidryk and his collaborators completed principal photography within the planned production window.

Fidryk took on multiple responsibilities as the film's writer, director, producer, and lead actor, working alongside co-director Chirag Prabhu, assistant director Daniel Chorolovski, and director of photography Arya Patel.

The cast includes Tetiana Boevets as Mira, Chris Gondos as Dylan, Anne McDougall as Alex's mother, Iryna Kiliian as his sister, and Corey Johnson as a detective.

The film's visual and emotional atmosphere was developed through a collaborative effort involving an independent Toronto-based crew.

Grammy-Nominated Composer Sebastian Plano’s Music Adds Emotional Depth to 'Anxiety'

Music plays a significant role in shaping the emotional atmosphere of 'Anxiety'. The film features the licensed composition “Prelude to a Soul” by Grammy-nominated Argentine composer and cellist Sebastian Plano, whose internationally acclaimed work blends contemporary classical music with cinematic soundscapes.

The inclusion of his composition in 'Anxiety' adds another artistic dimension to the independent production. Its delicate, emotionally resonant sound complements the film’s exploration of trauma, vulnerability, isolation, and psychological struggle.

For filmmaker Vladyslav Fidryk, the use of Plano’s music helps communicate emotions that cannot always be expressed through dialogue, reinforcing the intimate and deeply personal nature of the story.

The Next Chapter: 'Anxiety' Is Becoming a Feature-Length Film

Following the short film's international festival recognition, Fidryk has begun developing 'Anxiety' into a feature-length psychological drama.

The expanded project is currently in development, with a target runtime of approximately 75 minutes and production tentatively planned for spring 2027 in Toronto.

While the original short introduced audiences to Alex's internal struggles, the feature-length adaptation aims to explore his life and psychological journey in greater depth.

The expanded narrative will examine the lasting consequences of childhood trauma, abuse, violence, complicated relationships, and the difficulty of reclaiming personal identity.

The story follows a young artist who, after years of abuse and a violent assault, struggles with debilitating anxiety while attempting to rebuild his life as unresolved trauma resurfaces.

The longer format will allow Fidryk to explore the character's emotional world more fully, developing the relationships, memories, and internal conflicts that shape his behaviour.

Rather than simply extending the short film, the feature is intended to create a more layered psychological portrait of a person caught between the desire to move forward and the inability to escape the past.

The project will retain the intimate, character-driven approach of the original while expanding its cinematic scope and narrative complexity.

Fidryk is developing the feature with co-director and producer Chirag Prabhu, with plans to assemble a larger production team and pursue a combination of private investment, arts funding, and industry partnerships.

The project has also attracted preliminary interest from Film.io Studios, with discussions concerning potential collaboration and the screenplay.

As development progresses, Fidryk is preparing the project's screenplay, pitch materials, production budget, and financing strategy.

A Story About the Battles People Cannot See

At the heart of 'Anxiety' lies a subject that continues to resonate internationally: the invisible impact of psychological trauma.

The film challenges the expectation that recovery follows a predictable path or that emotional suffering is always visible.

Through Alex's experiences, Fidryk explores how individuals can appear functional on the outside while struggling internally with fear, memories, isolation, and uncertainty.

The story also addresses the expectations surrounding masculinity and emotional expression, particularly the pressure many men experience to conceal vulnerability.

Subtle themes of identity, intimacy, and belonging add further depth to the narrative, reflecting the complexity of personal relationships when shaped by trauma.

By bringing these experiences to the screen, Fidryk hopes to contribute to broader conversations about mental health while offering a cinematic experience grounded in human emotion.

Looking Ahead

As 'Anxiety' transitions from a festival-recognized short film into an ambitious feature-length production, Fidryk's journey reflects the possibilities of independent cinema.

What began as a response to personal hardship has become an international filmmaking project, connecting audiences through themes of survival, vulnerability, and the human desire to heal.

With the feature now in development, Fidryk is looking beyond the short film's achievements toward a larger cinematic vision.

And while the story of 'Anxiety' is rooted in pain, its continued evolution represents something equally powerful: the possibility of turning difficult experiences into art that reaches, challenges, and connects with others.

For Vladyslav Fidryk, 'Anxiety' is no longer just a short film. It is the beginning of a much larger story.