500 TOP 2024 Ukrainian filmmakers by IMDb-confirmed awards & nominations
Ukrainian filmmakers (mainly directors) with most awards & nominations recognized by IMDb as of 1 February 2024.
There are over 1K Ukrainian filmmakers listed on IMDb. This list is a tentative metric giving some understanding about the success and reception of films by Ukrainian filmmakers (not only film directors), mainly in terms of festival awards - the quality of their contribution to the world of cinema. (NB: Though many filmmakers from older times are not listed here as there were no many festival awards at the time.)
The threshold: two awards or one award and two nominations (or more).
ATTN: The list is tentative and being updated.
See the current ranking in terms of awards only at https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565995125
See other annual lists to track the progress:
2019 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls093134611
2020 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls091935490
2021 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls505302939
2022 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565136494
2023 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls523345983
There are over 1K Ukrainian filmmakers listed on IMDb. This list is a tentative metric giving some understanding about the success and reception of films by Ukrainian filmmakers (not only film directors), mainly in terms of festival awards - the quality of their contribution to the world of cinema. (NB: Though many filmmakers from older times are not listed here as there were no many festival awards at the time.)
The threshold: two awards or one award and two nominations (or more).
ATTN: The list is tentative and being updated.
See the current ranking in terms of awards only at https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565995125
See other annual lists to track the progress:
2019 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls093134611
2020 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls091935490
2021 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls505302939
2022 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565136494
2023 Awards List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls523345983
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- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Vyacheslav Bihun is known for Last Shooting (2023), How Can I Not Love You (2017) and Fatalis (2020).369: 72 wins & 297 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Born in 1983 in Uman, Ukraine. Graduated from the Architecture faculty of Chernivtsi Technical College (2002) and from the faculty of Philosophy and Theology of Chernivtsy National University (Bachelor degree, 2007). In 2013 graduated from Kyiv National Karpenko-Karyy University of Theatre, Cinema and Television, specializing in feature film direction. While studying, made several award-winning short films, many of which were official selected on international film festivals. Student film Boroda (2012) became part of short film almanac "Ukraine, Goodbye!" and entered the "Ukrainian New Wave", anthology collecting best short films of Ukraine in 2012. The script of said short took the main award in script section of "Coronation of the Word" (National Scripts Festival; Kyiv 2012). After completing the film school, participated in Toronto Film Lab (Script&Pitch) in 2016. Organizer of the Ukrainian Script Platform «TERRARIUM». First live action short film after completion of the film school, Weightlifter (2018) took several major film awards in Ukraine.203: 76 wins & 127 nominations- Director
- Editor
- Writer
Ukrainian film director: After studying in Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema & Television University (Ukraine), graduated from Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing (Poland). She is married to Mehmet Bahadir Er, as director duo, directed and produced together 3 feature films. Since 2017 Maryna ER Gorbach has been a member of the European Film Academy .93: 59 wins & 34 nominations- Director
- Producer
- Cinematographer
Sergiy Pudich is an award-winning film and commercial director from Ukraine. Sergiy has worked on film sets since 2010 in many roles, like Director, Producer, Actor, Cinematographer, 1AD, 1AC, Art Director, Assistant, Gaffer, Spark, Key Grip, as well as doing post-production editing, and VFX. He worked worldwide in countries like Ukraine, Italy, USA, Switzerland, and China. Nowadays, Sergiy is based in Thailand.68: 41 wins & 27 nominations- Producer
- Editor
- Cinematographer
Valentyn Vasyanovych was born on 21 July 1971 in Zhytomyr, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is a producer and editor, known for Atlantis (2019), Black Level (2017) and Reflection (2021).67: 32 wins & 35 nominations- Editor
- Director
- Producer
Philip Sotnychenko was born on 8 January 1989 in Ukraine. He is an editor and director, known for La Palisiada (2023), Son (2015) and Technical Break (2017).56: 16 wins & 40 nominations- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Born in Kyiv (Ukraine) in 1974, Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi graduated from the filmmaking department of the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University, majoring in feature film directing. He has worked at various Ukrainian film studios in Kyiv (such as the Dovzhenko Film Studio) and Russian film studios in St. Petersburg (such as the Lenfilm Studios). He also worked as a script writer on numerous TV films and published a number of stories, one of which The Chornobyl Robinson won the prize of the All-Ukrainian Script Contest Coronation of the Word (2000). His debut short "The Intsydent" has competed in 25 festivals in 17 countries. His second feature film "Diagnosis" has been nominated for Golden Bear. His latest short film "Deafness" is his second Berlinale outing that got him another Golden Bear nomination. In autumn 2010 Myroslav received a grant to create his first full-length feature film 'The Tribe" from the Hubert Bals Fund of Rotterdam Film Festival. In 2012, Myroslav won the Silver Leopard of the Locarno Film Festival's competition program "Pardi di domani" for his film "Nuclear Waste". "Nuclear Waste" was nominated for an EFA Award in 2013. His latest film, "The Tribe" (2014), won the Nespresso Grand Prize for La Semaine de la Critique in 2014.54: 32 wins & 22 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Actress
Kira Muratova was born on 5 November 1934 in Soroca, Romania [now Moldova]. She was a director and writer, known for Nastroyshchik (2004), Vtorostepennye lyudi (2001) and The Asthenic Syndrome (1989). She was married to Aleksandr Muratov and Yevgeni Golubenko. She died on 6 June 2018 in Odessa, Ukraine.54: 22 awards & 32 nominations (1934-2018)- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Iryna Tsilyk is known for The Earth Is Blue as an Orange (2020), Rock Paper Grenade (2022) and Home (2016).46: 19 wins & 27 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Mstyslav Chernov was born in 1985 in Kharkov, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kharkiv, Ukraine]. He is a director and writer, known for 20 Days in Mariupol (2023), Frontline (1983) and Moderated by Matt (2022).41: 18 wins & 23 nominations- Producer
- Writer
- Production Manager
Igor Savychenko was born on 27 November 1974. Igor is a producer and writer, known for The Guide (2014), When the Trees Fall (2018) and The Painted Bird (2019).40: 14 wins & 26 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Kateryna Gornostai studied Biology (2010) and later Journalism (2012) at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Then graduated from the School of Marina Razbezhkina and Mikhail Ugarov Documentary Film and Theatre in Moscow (October 2012 - November 2013) and returned home to Kyiv. Now she is engaged in educational documentary programs and her own documentary and fiction films projects.39: 20 wins & 19 nominations- Writer
- Director
- Cinematographer
In 2013, he received a bachelor's degree from the Institute of Screen Arts, having majored in film and television directing. In 2014, he received a master's degree from Kyiv National Theater, Film and Television University as a television director. He has been a member of the Ukrainian Film Academy since 2017.38: 6 wins & 32 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Hanna Jalali was born in Ukraine. Studied at the Institute of Journalism of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University (BA in Journalism). In 2015 she was graduated from Kyiv National I.K. Karpenko-Kary Theater, Cinema and Television University (MA in Documentary Directing; MA in Film Production). Her first short film "After" was officially selected in several international film festivals and won some awards. In 2018 she was invited to participate in the 3rd Film school Alliance in Georgia, where she took a diploma from the masters and 3rd place audience award. In 2020 she took participation at the Kyoto Filmmakers Lab (KFL) (Masters session). Also, she's a participant in the Berlinale Talents 2021. Currently, she's working on her first feature film.37: 6 wins & 31 nominations- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Volodymyr Tykhyy was born on 25 February 1970 in Chervonohrad, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is a producer and director, known for Brama (2017), The Green Jacket (2013) and One Day in Ukraine (2022).35: 9 wins & 26 nominations- Editor
- Director
- Writer
Mila Zhluktenko is known for Waking Up in Silence (2023), Find Fix Finish (2017) and Aralkum (2022).34: 12 wins & 22 nominations- Director
- Editor
- Producer
Alina Gorlova is known for This Rain Will Never Stop (2020), No obvious signs (2018) and Butterfly Vision (2022).33: 14 wins & 19 nominations- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Maksym Nakonechnyi is known for Butterfly Vision (2022), This Rain Will Never Stop (2020) and New Year with Family (2018).32: 8 wins & 24 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Animation Department
Stepan Koval was born on 18 July 1965 in Novomoskovsk, Ukraine. In 1993, he studied architecture at the Academi of Arts in Kiev. In 1998 he studied direction of animation films at the Theatrical institute in Kiev. Since 2006, he is the chief director at Novatorfilm. The best of his famous works : 'Shyol tramvay N° 9' (2003) , 'Zlydni' (2006).30: 17 wins & 13 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Antonio Lukich was born in 1992 in Uzhhorod, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine. He is a director and writer, known for Luxembourg, Luxembourg (2022), My Thoughts Are Silent (2019) and It Was Showering in Manchester (2015).29: 13 wins & 16 nominations- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Eugene Koshin was born on 14 July 1987. He is a director and assistant director, known for My bolshe nikogda ne zabludimsya vmeste (2020), Star David (2016) and Heroes and Cowards (2019).29: 8 wins & 21 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Oleksandr Hoisan (b. 2001, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine). A member of the NGO CUC (Contemporary Ukrainian Cinema), a member of the Ukrainian Guild of Directors. In 2022, Oleksandr graduated from the bachelor's degree in film and television directing at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. In 2023 - 2024 he continues his studies at the master's degree. The first student films participated in more than 100 national and international festivals (incl. Oberhausen, Sarajevo Film Festival, FIDMarseille, BRNO16, Molodist), received awards. He is the founder and program director of the Ivano-Frankivsk International Short Film Festival 4:3.29: 4 wins & 25 nominations- Cinematographer
- Producer
- Director
Roman Bondarchuk was born on 14 January 1982 in Kherson, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. Roman is a cinematographer and producer, known for Volcano (2018), Ukrainian Sheriffs (2015) and Evromaidan. Chornovy montazh (2014).28: 10 wins & 18 nominations- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Nadia Parfan was born in Ivano-Frankivsk. She graduated from the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and the Central European University. She is a curator and co-founder of "86" Festival of Film and Urbanism. She is also a producer of the independent documentary Love Me (2014) by Jonathon Narducci. In 2014-15, she has been studying documentary directing at the Andrzej Wajda School.28: 7 wins & 21 nominations- Director
- Editor
- Writer
Oleksiy Radynski is known for Chornobyl 22 (2023), Infinity: According to Florian (2022) and Facade Colour: Blue (2019).27: 12 wins & 15 nominations- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Producer
27: 6 wins & 21 nominations- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Max Balter. International Award Winning Director and producer. Based in LA, originally from Ukraine. Founder of First LA Production. Started to work in the video industry in 2009. Mostly Max Balter working in a field of TV commercials and music videos. He already directed three short films that received more than 35 festival awards all over the world. His short film "Together" was Selected to Cannes Short Film Festival and Cannes Independent film festival.26: 22 wins & 4 nominations- Writer
- Director
- Cinematographer
Born July 13, 1990, in Ukraine. In 2012 graduated from the National Aviation University, specialty "jurisprudence." 2013 had a screenwriting course of Paul Brown from New York Film Academy. Debut short film "The stop" shot in 2014. A member of the public organization "Contemporary Ukrainian cinema", a stand-up comedian, a member of the Almanac "Ukrainian new wave 20/16+".24: 10 wins & 14 nominations- Editor
- Director
- Cinematographer
Roman Liubyi is known for War Note (2020), Iron Butterflies (2023) and Evromaidan. Chornovy montazh (2014).24: 6 wins & 18 nominations- Animation Department
- Director
- Writer
Anastasiia Falileieva is a director, animator, VJ artist.
She has learned stop-motion animation from the famous Ukrainian puppet master Oleh Pedan, while attending his course at Kyiv University of Cinema and Broadcasting (2016-2020).
Anastasiia directed several animated shorts, such as: "The Weird King" (2016), "Forel" (2017), "Kotku" (2018).
Her recent film "Until It Turns Black" (2019) succeeded at the film festivals all around the world (REX, Monstra, Odessa IFF, Linoleum, Animax Skopje and some others). The film has won 4 Awards and a Special Jury Mention. "Until It Turns Black" has been nominated for the "Kinokolo" : the Ukrainian Film Critics' Award as the Best Animated Short of 2020.
Filmography:
2020 - Tiger is Strolling Around 2019 - Until It Turns Black 2018 - Kotku 2017 - Forel 2017 - The Weird King23: 8 wins & 15 nominations- Writer
- Director
- Actress
Director, scriptwriter, writer. Graduated Kiev Karpenko-Karyi University of theater, movie and TV at 2012. Works as a scriptwriter from 2012. Passed DAB script writers and producers workshops at 2013. Passed the ScripTeast laboratory at 2016, her script "When The Trees Fall" was awarded with Kieslowski award for the "Best script from Eastern Europe" in Cannes 2016. Wrote a book of novels "Abyss", that was awarded with Oles Ulianenko international literature award in 2016.23: 2 wins & 21 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Arkadiy Nepytaliuk is known for Golden leggings (2022), The Strayed (2017) and Blood Sausage (2016).22: 8 wins & 14 nominations- Producer
- Director
- Cinematographer
Yurii Onyshchenko 1984 birth. Director, producer, cinematographer. Founder of the Onyko Films Awards International Film Festival, Onyko Films production and the "Imapa" - unik multi awarded Interactive Tourist Map. The main activity is the complete production of all types of video content. Film production and film festivals are prioritized. Active life position.22: 8 wins & 14 nominations- Director
- Cinematographer
- Writer
Alisa Kovalenko was born on 24 September 1987 in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is a director and cinematographer, known for Home Games (2018), We Will Not Fade Away (2023) and Alisa in Warland (2015).22: 7 wins & 15 nominations- Editor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
Tania Khodakivska is an award-winning film editor and director based in New York City. Her body of work includes films premiered at Cannes Film Festival and European Submissions for the Academy Award for the Best Foreign Film category. Main awards include the Gold Plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival, Silver Screen at the US International Film and Video Festival, and Ukrainian Film Academy Award (Editing.) Tania Khodakivska is a member of the European Film Academy (Editing.)21: 17 wins & 4 nominations- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Natalya Vorozhbit is known for Bad Roads (2020), Are You OK? (2022) and Cyborgs: Heroes Never Die (2017).21: 7 wins & 14 nominations- Cinematographer
- Producer
Svyatoslav Bulakovskiy was born on 16 August 1983. Svyatoslav is a cinematographer and producer, known for Klondike (2022), Love Me (2013) and The Signpost to Destiny (2007).21: 16 wins & 5 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
21: 4 wins & 17 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Oleh Sentsov was born on 13 July 1976 in Simferopol, Ukrainian SSR, USSR. He is a director and writer, known for Rhino (2021), Gamer (2011) and Numbers (2020). He was previously married to Alla.20: 4 wins & 16 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Maryna Vroda was born in 1982 in Kyiv. She graduated from the Cinematography and TV faculty at the Karpenko-Karyy National University of Theatre, Cinematography and Television in Kyiv, with a specialization in feature films direction. She attended workshops run by Mikhail Illenko and Valery Sivak. After graduation, she worked with Sergei Loznitsa. Her short student films have been shown at international film festivals in both in Eastern and Western Europe, and in 2011 she won a Palme d'Or for Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival for Cross.19: 5 wins & 14 nominations- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Yuliia Gontaruk, born on March 6th, 1987. Yuliia Graduated in Thermal Energy and Process Engineering at the National Technical University of Ukraine in 2009. Studied film directing at The National University of theatre, cinema and television of Karpenko-Kary 2007-2012. Since 2013 is a member of the National Union of Cinematographers in Ukraine. Yuliia became one of the founders of the creative association #BABYLON'13. Now she's making full-length documentaries.18: 10 wins & 8 nominations- Producer
- Production Manager
Alla Belaya is a highly regarded, multi-award winning producer, co-owner of London based production company LightGate Media and service company Malta film service based in Malta. Alla's most recent work "Hounds of War" starring Frank Grillo in the leading role due for release in early 2023. The international sales partner for this film is XYZ.18: 9 wins & 9 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Sergei Tymchenko is known for The Balcony (2021) and My friend Alpaca (2022).18: 13 wins & 5 nominations- Cinematographer
- Director
- Writer
Oleksandra Pletenetska is known for When Will the Warmth Come? (2022) and Bidnyy poet (2022).18: 2 wins & 16 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Taras Tomenko is known for Terykony (2022), Slovo House (2017) and Budynok Slovo. Neskinchenyi roman (2021).17: 6 wins & 11 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Producer
One of the 20th century's greatest masters of cinema Sergei Parajanov was born in Georgia to Armenian parents and it was always unlikely that his work would conform to the strict socialist realism that Soviet authorities preferred. After studying film and music, Parajanov became an assistant director at the Dovzhenko studios in Kiev, making his directorial debut in 1954, following that with numerous shorts and features, all of which he subsequently dismissed as "garbage". However, in 1964 he was able to make Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965), a rhapsodic celebration of Ukrainian folk culture, and the world discovered a startling and idiosyncratic new talent. He followed this up with the even more innovative The Color of Pomegranates (1969) (which explored the art and poetry of his native Armenia in a series of stunningly beautiful tableaux), but by this stage the authorities had had enough, and Paradjanov spent most of the 1970s in prison on almost certainly rigged charges of "homosexuality and illegal trafficking in religious icons". However, with the coming of perestroika, he was able to make The Legend of Suram Fortress (1985), Ashik Kerib (1988) and The Confession, which survives as Parajanov: The Last Spring (1992), before succumbing to cancer in 1990.16: 11 wins & 5 nominations (1924-1990)- Bogdan Stupka is one of Ukraine's most famous actors. His most memorable stage role was as Tevye the Milkman in Sholom Aleichem's Tevye-Tevel (aka... Fiddler on the Roof (1971)). After a brief stint as the Ukrainean Minister of Culture, he is the Executive Director of the Ivan Franko State Theater in Kyiv. Along with his administrative duties, Mr. Stupka was performing several times a week in various new and traditional productions. He also toured with his company, was appearing in two or three films every year, while still devoted much time to his wife of many years as well as his son Ostap Stupka and his grandchildren.16: 11 wins & 5 nominations (1941-2012)
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Taras Dron was born on 6 March 1980 in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is a writer and director, known for Black Mountain (2016), Blindfold (2020) and DZIDZIO First Time (2018).16: 4 wins & 12 nominations- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Vasyl Moskalenko (born 14 June 1989) is a Ukrainian film director, script-writer and producer. He is known for directing the thriller film Synthetic Love (2019), drama Superhuman (2020), and comedy superhero movie Apple-Man (2020). Vasyl Moskalenko new project The Chernobyl Fallout (2021) was presented at the European Film Market during the Berlin International Film Festival (the Berlinale), in 2020.
In 2019 Vasyl Moskalenko won Platinum Award at Houston Film Festival for his short movie Synthetic Love. As well, Synthetic Love was called the best short in Toronto (TISH festival), and got awards in 6 categories on Hollywood HNFA festival.
Vasyl Moskalenko is a very experienced television director. He directed 4 seasons of TV-show "Pecularities of National Job" for ICTV Channel, Ukraine (2015-2018), 2 seasons of TV-show "Crazy Hitchhiking for Novy Channel, Ukraine (2013-2014), 1 season of TV-show "1000 ladies' desires" for Novy Channel, Ukraine (2014).16: 4 wins & 12 nominations- Producer
- Director
- Writer
In 2015, Director and Producer Valeria Sochyvets founded an organization CUC (Contemporary Ukrainian Cinema) with the goal to promote Ukrainian cinema and produce films. Valeria produced a number of films that took part in many international film festivals, such as POFF Shorts, Clermont-Ferrand, Tampere, Molodist, Odesa IFF, and won over 30 awards and nominations. A participant of international pitches and coproduction markets. As a curator, Valeria shaped the film program for Gogolfest from 2013 to 2017. She also curated for festivals Intermezzo and Porto Franko and in 2019 founded a festival for young filmmakers Kinoohlyad. In 2020, she was part of an expert board at a national competition for debut short film projects at the Ukrainian State Film Agency. From 2018 to 2022 a Board Member of Ukrainian Film Academy. In 2017, Valeria was a jury member at the Open Night All-Ukrainian Film Festival. Her portfolio counts 13 short films, 2 feature documentaries and 1 feature fiction. Valeria is currently developing 2 debut fiction feature films by Philip Sotnychenko and Stanislav Bytiutskyi. She holds a BA from Karpenko Karyi Kyiv National University of Theater, Film and TV.16: 2 wins & 14 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Sound Department
Was born in Lviv, Ukraine (USSR). Graduated in Lviv Academy of Fine Art in 1984 with distinction.
Artist, creator of numerous projects in the field of visual art, winner of 25 international art exhibitions in Canada, USA, South Korea, Latvia, Poland, Norway, Spain, Ukraine. The artist's book "Jacob Bohme" was awarded as World's Best Book at International Frankfurt Book Fair. One of his 24 personal exhibitions was the first art exhibition ever to be held in space, at space station Mir in 1993. Artworks of Podolchak can be found in 26 museums and public collections worldwide. The premiere of the first feature film "Las Meninas" took place in the competition at International Film Festival Rotterdam (2008). The film has participated at 26 International film festivals worldwide in ten of them in the competition.16: 1 wins & 15 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Studied at the Moscow Cinema Institute under Soviet film master Mikhail Romm. He found fame after his 1959 film "Ballad of a Soldier" which is considered one of the best Soviet war films and which has played all over the world.15: 10 wins & 5 nominations (1921-2001)- Director
- Writer
- Composer
Pyotr Todorovskiy was born on 26 August 1925 in Bobrynets, Zinovievsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for Encore, Once More Encore! (1992), Wartime Romance (1983) and Vernost (1965). He was married to Mira Todorovskaya and Nadeshda Tsherednitshenko. He died on 24 May 2013 in Moscow, Russia.15: 8 wins & 7 nominations (1925-2013)- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Roman Balayan was born on 15 April 1941 in Nerkin Horatagh, Nagorno-Karabakh AO, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR. He is a director and writer, known for Biryuk (1978), Khrani menya, moy talisman (1986) and Noch svetla (2005).15: 6 wins & 9 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Tonya Noyabrova is known for Independence Day (2012), Hero of My Time (2018) and Everything Will Be Alright (2016).15: 4 wins & 11 nominations- Director
- Producer
- Writer
The distinguished film director Anatole Litvak was born in the Ukrainian city of Kiev, the son of Jewish parents. His very first job was as a stage hand. In 1915, he became an actor, performing at a little-known experimental theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. As a teenager, he witnessed the 1917 Russian Revolution and the consequent nationalization of all theaters and drama schools. It was at this time Litvak decided to quit the stage and join the burgeoning Soviet film industry. He was given a job at the Leningrad Nordkino studio as a set designer, but, before long, he worked his way up to directing short features, notably Tatiana (1925), a film about children.
In 1925, he left the Soviet Union for Berlin and was hired by the renowned director Georg Wilhelm Pabst to edit The Joyless Street (1925) starring Greta Garbo. He then began directing numerous short films for Ufa, and, eventually, moved on to full-length features. The most important of these was the romantic comedy Dolly macht Karriere (1930). Litvak's stay in Germany was cut short by the rise to power of Adolf Hitler. Litvak moved to France, and directed Mayerling (1936), starring Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux. This production was the turning point in Litvak's career, being a major hit on both sides of the Atlantic. He received effusive praise from critic Frank S. Nugent of the New York Times, who commented on the director's "superb assembling of scenes" and the "matchless performances" of the stars (September 14,1937). Hollywood soon beckoned, and, from 1937 to 1941, Litvak became a contract director for Warner Brothers. His first film was The Woman I Love (1937), which starred his future wife Miriam Hopkins. His experience with diverse aspects of stagecraft, as well as his fluency in four languages (Russian, German, French and English), enabled him to competently tackle a wide variety of subjects: from sophisticated continental comedy (Tovarich (1937)) to historical drama (Anastasia (1956)) and romance (All This, and Heaven Too (1940)).
Litvak was at his best directing taut, suspenseful crime dramas, such as The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938) with Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart, hailed by Variety as "an unquestionable winner"; and two tough action films starring John Garfield: Castle on the Hudson (1940) and Out of the Fog (1941). Having become an American citizen in 1940, Litvak enlisted in the US army and collaborated with Frank Capra on the wartime "Why we Fight" series of documentaries. At war's end he left the army with the rank of colonel and returned to Hollywood to direct the classic thriller Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) with Barbara Stanwyck. Arguably his best film was the superb psychological drama The Snake Pit (1948), Hollywood's first attempt to seriously examine the treatment of mental illness. Indeed, the film was so influential that it precipitated changes in the American mental health system. Litvak was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Director, but lost out to John Huston for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948).
In 1949, the director -- who had once described Hollywood as a "Mecca" -- returned to Europe and settled in Paris, working only infrequently. He undertook several projects under contract to 20th Century Fox (in 1951, and from 1955 to 1956). Notable among his later efforts are two contrasting films with Ingrid Bergman: the lavishly produced Anastasia (1956), about a woman claiming to be the Romanoff dynasty's last living direct descendant; and the moody, introspective romantic drama Goodbye Again (1961), shot on location in Paris. In stark thematic contrast to these, he also directed the suspenseful wartime thriller The Night of the Generals (1967), starring Peter O'Toole.
Anatole Litvak died in a hospital in Neuilly, Paris, in December 1974 at the age of 72.15: 3 wins & 12 nominations (1902-1974)- Producer
- Production Manager
Vladimir Yatsenko was born in Donbas region, Ukraine. Graduated from Kyiv National Economic University as an economist, then from Kyiv National Theatre, Cinema and Television University as a producer. Vladimir is the co-owner and general producer of the production company Limelite and ForeFilms. During 11 years Limelite produced more that 600 commercials video, producing both national films and international co-productions. He is the Head of Film Industry Association of Ukraine and the Head of the Social Council at the Ukrainian State Film Agency. Participant of Producers Network 2017 and KVIFF MIDPOINT Intensive 2017 and EAVE Marketing Workshop 2017.15: 3 wins & 12 nominations- Natalka Polovynka is known for Maty apostoliv (2020), Brothers. The Final Confession (2013) and Tera (2018).14: 10 wins & 4 nominations
- Animation Department
- Director
- Writer
Sofiia Melnyk is known for Mariupol. A Hundred Nights (2023), Um uns die Welt - Osteuropäische Wanderarbeiter in Deutschland (2016) and The Steppes of Khazar (2019).14: 6 win & 8 nominations- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Akhtem Seitablaev was born on 11 December 1972 in Yangiyul, Tashkent Oblast, Uzbek SSR, USSR [now Yangiyo'l, Tashkent Region, Uzbekistan]. He is an actor and director, known for Cyborgs: Heroes Never Die (2017), Homeward (2019) and Numbers (2020).14: 6 wins & 8 nominations- Cinematographer
- Director
- Editor
Roman Khimei is known for Zarvanytsia (New Jerusalem) (2020), New City of Friends (2022) and State Institution (2018).14: 4 wins & 10 nominations- Cinematographer
- Director
- Editor
Yarema Malashchuk is known for Zarvanytsia (New Jerusalem) (2020), New City of Friends (2022) and State Institution (2018).14: 4 wins & 10 nominations- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Sergei Bondarchuk was one of the most important Russian filmmakers, best known for directing an Academy Award-winning film epic War and Peace (1965), based on the book by Lev Tolstoy, in which he also starred as Pierre Bezukhov.
He was born Sergei Fedorovich Bondarchuk on September, 25, 1920, in the village of Belozerka, Kherson province, Ukraine, Russian Federation (now Belozerka, Ukraine). He was brought up in Southern Ukraine, then in Azov and Taganrog, Southern Russia. Young Bondarchuk was fond of theatre and books by such authors as Anton Chekhov and Lev Tolstoy. He made his stage debut in 1937, on the stage of the Chekhov Drama Theatre in the city of Taganrog, then studied acting at Rostov Theatrical School. In 1942 his studies were interrupted by the Nazi invasion during WWII. Bondarchuk was recruited in the Red Army and served for four years until he was discharged in 1946. From 1946 - 1948 he attended the State Institute of Cinematography in Moscow (VGIK), graduating as an actor from the class of Sergey Gerasimov. In 1948 he made his film debut in Povest o nastoyashchem cheloveke (1948) then co-starred in The Young Guard (1948).
For his portrayal of the title character in Taras Shevchenko (1951) he was awarded the State Stalin's Prize of the USSR, and was designated People's Artist of the USSR, becoming the youngest actor ever to receive such honor. Then he starred in the internationally renowned adaptation of the Shakespeare's Othello (1956), in the title role opposite Irina Skobtseva as Desdemona. Bondarchuk expressed his own experience as a soldier of WWII when he starred in The Destiny of a Man (1959), a war drama based on the eponymous story by Mikhail Sholokhov, which was also Bondarchuk's directorial debut that earned him the prestigious Lenin's Prize of the USSR in 1960.
Bondarchuk shot to international fame with War and Peace (1965), a powerful adaptation of the eponymous masterpiece by Lev Tolstoy. The 7-hour-long film epic won the 1969 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and brought Bondarchuk a reputation of one of the finest directors of his generation. The most expensive project in film history, War and Peace (1965) was produced over seven years, from 1961 to 1968, at an estimated cost of $100,000,000 (over $800,000,000 adjusted for inflation in 2010). The film set several records, such as involving over three hundred professional actors from several countries and also tens of thousands extras from the Red Army in filming of the 3rd two-hour-long episode about the historic Battle of Borodino against the Napoleon's invasion, making it the largest battle scene ever filmed. Bondarchuk also made history by introducing several remote-controlled cameras that were moving on 300 meter long wires above the scene of the battlefield. Having earned international acclaim for War and Peace (1965), he starred in the epic The Battle of Neretva (1969) with fellow Russian, Yul Brynner, and Orson Welles, whom he would direct the following year.
By the late 1960s Bondarchuk was one of the most awarded actor and director in the Soviet Union. However, he was still not a member of the Soviet Communist Party, a fact that brought attention from the Soviet leadership under Leonid Brezhnev. Soon Bondarchuk received an official recommendation to join the Soviet Communist Party, an offer that nobody in the Soviet Union could refuse without risking a career. At that time he was humorously comparing his situation with the historic Hollywood trials of filmmakers during the 50s. Bondarchuk was able to avoid the Communist Party in his earlier career, but things changed in the Soviet Union under Brezhnev, so in 1970, he accepted the trade-off and joined the Soviet Communist Party for the sake of protecting his film career. In 1971 he was elected Chairman of the Union of Filmmakers, a semi-government post in the Soviet system of politically controlled culture. Eventually he evolved into a politically controlled figure and turned to making such politically charged films as Red Bells (1982) and other such films. Later, during the liberalization of the Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev, Bondarchuk was seen as a symbol of conservatism in Soviet cinema, so in 1986 he was voted out of the office.
Bondarchuk was the first Russian director to make a big budget international co-production with the financial backing of Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, such as Waterloo (1970), a Russian-Italian co-production vividly reconstructing the final battle of the Napoleonic Wars. This was his first English-language production, but several Soviet actors were cast, e.g. Sergo Zakariadze and Oleg Vidov. In this film, Orson Welles, his co-star in The Battle of Neretva (1969) made a cameo as the old King Louis XVII of France. But this time Bondarchuk was unable to control the advances of Rod Steiger, and the film was a commercial flop in Europe and America, albeit it gained the favor of critics.
After his dismissal from the office of Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers he started filming Tikhiy Don (2006) based on the eponymous novel by the Nobel Prize winner Mikhail Sholokhov, with Rupert Everett as the lead. At the end of filming, just before post-production, Bondarchuk learned about some unfavorable details in his contract, causing a bitter dispute with the producers over the rights to the film and bringing much pain to the last two years of his life. Amidst this legal battle the production was stopped and the film was stored in a bank vault, and remained unedited and undubbed for nearly fourteen years. The production was completed by Russian television company "First Channel", and aired in November 2006.
In his career that spanned over five decades, Sergei Bondarchuk had credits as actor, director, writer, and co-producer in a wide range of films. He suffered a heart attack and died on October 20, 1994, and was laid to rest in Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia, next to such Russian luminaries as Anton Chekhov and Mikhail A. Bulgakov. His death caused a considerable mourning in Russia. Bondarchuk was survived by his second wife, actress Irina Skobtseva and their children, actress Alyona Bondarchuk, and actor/director Fedor Bondarchuk, and actress Natalya Bondarchuk, his daughter with his first wife, actress Inna Makarova.
As a tribute to Sergei Bondarchuk, his son, Fedor Bondarchuk called him "a father and my teacher," and dedicated his directorial debut, 9th Company (2005), set in war-torn Afghanistan, whereas Sergei's directorial debut was set in WWII.13: 9 wins & 4 nominations (1920-1994)- Director
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Anastasiya Yevchenko is a Ukrainian director, screenwriter, actor, and producer in theatre and film. Her goal is to create meaningful, innovative, and impactful art that will challenge and inspire its viewers.
Anastasiya's first professional work is the surrealist short film "If We Had Tomorrow" (2019).
Anastasiya is a student at New York University (2016-present), where she is majoring in Drama BFA, minoring in producing and filmmaking. Throughout her time at NYU, she had directed the extracts from "Earthquakes in London" (2017), "Perfume: the story of a murderer" (2017), "Macbeth" (2017), and "Forest Song" (2018). She had written plays and screenplays during her academic career at NYU.
Anastasiya studied acting as part of the Intensive Summer Acting Program at Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York (2018). She participated in the Acting Intensive Program at the University of South California (2015) and learned different acting techniques, including scene study, movement, voice, on-camera performance; participated in two public workshop performances: "A Midsummer's Night's Dream" and "Spring's Awakening".
Anastasiya participated in ISTA IB Theatre Symposium (2015), where she collaborated with IB Theatre students from around the world and explored world theatre practices in workshops by Frantic Assembly's and director William Kerley.
Anastasiya participated as a singer in a unique summer program The Nord Anglia Education "Global Orchestra" (2015) that brought together 80 young musicians and singers from around the world to attend the Juilliard workshops on dance, drama, and music, and after a week of intense training to perform in professional concert venue of The DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York.
Anastasiya had graduated Beau Soleil Alpin College International with a Bilingual Diploma of the International Baccalaureate. During her time in Beau Soleil, Anastasiya directed, designed, produced, and acted in a musical "Old Songs New" (2015).13: 9 wins & 4 nominations- Director
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Ruslan Batytskyi is known for A Rising Fury (2022), Ukrainian Lessons (2013) and The Blindsight (2023).13: 6 wins & 7 nomination- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
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Oleksandr Techynskyi was born in 1979 in Dnipro (Dnipropetrovsk), Ukraine. He spent his childhood in the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic in the north-east of the Russian Federation. In 1999 he graduated from Dnipropetrovsk Medical College, then worked as a medical assistant in a psychiatric emergency team. In 2001 he left medicine and started to work as a freelance photographer. He has worked as a photo reporter for more than 15 years, cooperating with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Der Spiegel, Vogue, Playboy, and others. Besides Ukraine, he has carried out shootings in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Liberia, Georgia, Russia and Latvia. Since 2011 he has focused on creating documentary films. His feature documentary debut All Things Ablaze has won an MDR Film Prize for the best Eastern European documentary at DOK Leipzig 2014.13: 6 wins & 7 nominations- Producer
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Lesya Kalynska is an award-winning film director, screenwriter, and producer. She develops film projects through her production company Pomegranate Studios in New York. Originally from Kyiv, Kalynska earned her MFA in directing and writing from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and received her Ph.D. in Slavic Literatures and Languages in Ukraine.
She found early success in the U.S. with her award-winning short narrative film The Balloonist and produced The Debt directed by Levan Koguashvili, which was an official selection at the Sundance and Tribeca film festivals. Kalynska is a recipient of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Production Award (Golden Globes) for her feature length documentary in progress In the Land of the Lost Crusaders, which she directed and co-produced. Lesya also worked in Kyiv as a director of a docuseries Level of Secrecy 18 featuring historic reenactments and unique archival footage to tell the untold stories of World War II. It was released on the widely popular Ukrainian TV channel 1+1 in 2011.
Lesya Kalynska is the writer, co-director and producer of the feature documentary A Rising Fury about the Russia's war against Ukraine that was filmed for nearly 10 years. The World Premiere took place at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2022. It was the winner of several awards including the Supreme Jury Award and the Best International Director Award at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. A Rising Fury was screened across four continents in nine prestigious international film festivals. The film is critically acclaimed and was nominated for the Bronze Horse Award at the Stockholm FF, Best Documentary at the Warsaw IFF and the Golden Duke Award at the Odessa IFF. Film Threat Magazine gives the film 10/10 and hails it as "One of the best films of the year". A Rising Fury qualified for the 2024 Academy Awards.13: 5 wins & 8 nominations- Cinematographer
- Producer
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Ihor Ivanko is known for Fragile memory (2022), #Babylon'13 (2014) and Ukrainian Independence. As It Is. (2023).13: 5 wins & 8 nominations- Director
- Editor
- Producer
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Andrei Zagdansky was born on March 9, 1956 in Kiev, Ukraine, back then a part of the Soviet Union. He received a MFA with distinction from Kiev State University of Theatrical Arts. His first feature documentary, the seminal Interpretation of Dreams (1990), juxtaposed the filmmaker's dialog with Sigmund Freud and the history of the Soviet Union. The result was "interesting and provocative" (Vincent Canby, The New York Times) and an "astonishing marriage of Freudian thinking and history" (Boston Globe). The film was awarded with the Grand-Prix of the last "All- Union" Documentary film festival in 1990 (the Soviet Union ceased to exist the following year) and premiered at the opening night of IDFA that same year. In 1992 Andrei and his family relocated to the United States. In 1994 he received a Rockefeller Fellowship. He taught several film courses at New School in New York. Over the years he directed/produced a number of innovative, personal documentaries - "My Father Evgeni", "Konstantin and Mouse"; often blending documentary footage with animation - "Vasya", "Vagrich and the Black Square" or staged theatrical performances - "Orange Winter".13: 4 wins & 9 nominations- Producer
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Anna was born in Ukraine. In 2018 she graduated from The Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University as a film director. Since 2017 until 2019 she had been working as a film director and producer in the production company Limelite. Since 2020 became co-owner ForeFilms, and co-producer all the films, produced by the company13: 2 wins & 11 nominations- Director
- Actress
- Writer
Marta Smerechynska is known for One Aloe, One Ficus, One Avocado and Six Dracaenas (2023), Diary of a Bride of Christ (2022) and Maniac (2016).13: 1 wins & 12 nominations- Actor
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Slava Babenkov is known for Those Who Stayed (2023), Immigrant Holdem (2020) and Don Zhuan iz Zhashkova (2024).12: 12 wins & 0 nominations- Director
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- Producer
Mariia Ponomarova (1991) is a screenwriter and film director from Kyiv, Ukraine. She holds a directing bachelor degree from Karpenko-Kary Kyiv National University of Theatre, Film and Television and graduated from the Master of Film program of Netherlands Film Academy in 2016. Her short fiction and documentary films have been screened at national and international film festivals such as Go Short International Film Festival Nijmegen, VIS Vienna Shorts, CineDOC-Tbilisi, Artdocfest, Molodist IFF, Netherlands Film Festival and others. Mariia lives and works in Amsterdam and Kyiv.12: 0 win & 12 nominations- EAVE producer's workshop in 2020. ACE Producers Network (32) member in 2022/2023. MBA graduated in Kyiv-Mohyla Business School in 2017 with special mark of Discovery of the Year.
Started in film production from post-production side in 1995, and from 1998 in production. 2009 - Toy Pictures (co-owner, executive producer) 2015 - Toy Cinema (co-owner, producer, co-producer) - currently solo owner.
Focused on fiction feature films and service projects.11: 7 wins & 4 nominations - Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
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Vadym Ilkov is Ukrainian cinematographer and director. He graduated from Kyiv National University of Theatre, Film and TV in 2000. In 2010 Vadym was the recipient of Gaude Polonia (Poland) scholarship in the field of cinematography. He worked as a director of photography on a number of fiction, documentary and animated films. One of his recent projects as a DoP is Mariupolis (2016), director Mantas Kvedaravicius (world premiere at Berlinale 2016). Vadym is one of the organizers of the first Ukrainian open-air festival Sheshory (later - Art Pole). It existed for 12 years and combined diverse fields of art. It significantly changed Ukrainian cultural landscape. His directorial debut is Waltz Alchevsk (2015) (Ukraine, 2014, 54', doc). My father is my mother's brother is his first feature doc (Ukraine, 2018, 76') was awarded as the most innovative feature film of the International Competition at Visions du reel. It also got Cinematic Vision Award at Camden IFF (US).
Selected filmography as a DoP: Volcano (2018), Mariupolis (2016), Tomen. Colors of Life (2002), A Play for Three Actors (2004), Paradise (2006), Philosophy (2007), Mother Died in the Kitchen on Saturday (2009).11: 6 wins & 5 nominations- Director
- Editor
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The real name is Oleksandr Teliuk. Elias Parvulesco (or sometimes abbreviated as El Parvulesco) it is a creative pseudonym. Was born in Ukraine in 1985. Studied engineering (Kyiv University of Economics and Transport Technologies, 2002-2007), contemporary art (Arts course, educational project of the Method Foundation, 2014-2015) and film studies (Kyiv National University named after -Kary Theater, University of Film and Television, 2016-2018). Co-founder and editor of Cineticle, a web magazine for auteur films (2010-2015). Researcher of the history of cinema and programmer of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre in Kyiv (2015) and co-founder of the film union "Collective Ruins" (2017).11: 2 win & 9 nominations- Writer
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- Actor
Film director and screenwriter.
Known for his debut "U311 Cherkasy" (2019), which had an impressive success in Ukraine in 2020, becoming one of the most prominent contemporary Ukrainian films.
Interesting fact that "U311 Cherkasy" is the first feature film about the Ukrainian NAVY. It was sold to USA (Amazon Prime Videos), Canada, UK, Latin America, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Norway, the Baltic countries, Iceland, Czech Republic, Poland, etc.
In 2013, Tymur graduated from the directing faculty of the prestigious Lodz Film School in Poland (Szkola Filmowa w Lodzi / PWSFTviT). He also studied film line at the Kulturama Art School in Stockholm, Sweden, and received his law degree from Cherkasy National University, Ukraine.
Tymur lives and works in Warsaw and Kyiv.11: 2 wins & 9 nominations- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Dmitriy Tomashpolskiy was born on 1 July 1958 in Kyiv, Ukraine. He is a director and writer, known for Stranger (2019), Space (2021) and My Grandmother Fanny Kaplan (2016).11: 1 wins & 10 nominations- Production Manager
- Producer
- Actress
She was born in the city of Kyiv on September 27, 1984. In 2009, she graduated from the National University of Theater, Cinema and Television named after I.K. Karpenko-Karogo, specializing in OTS.
Fourteen years of production experience of shooting full-length films, TV films, television programs and clips, both at the Ukrainian and international levels. More than 30 films and more than 20 produced television projects are in production. In the past, the producer of the 3s TV channel "Savik Shuster Studio"
Education - National University of Theater, Cinema and Television named after I.K. Karpenko-Karyo.10: 6 wins & 4 nominations