Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

In just a few years, Ukrainian filmmaker Mary Yanko has established herself as an original, emerging voice in animation. Splitting her time between Kyiv and Paris, with a background in fine art and animation, she has been remarkably prolific since graduating from Gobelins in 2022. While still a student, she co-directed one of the 2020 Annecy Festival opening sequences. Her graduation short Vulvine Reine d’Extase (2022) went on to screen at over 60 festivals worldwide; even as it was blocked from YouTube, Instagram, and Vimeo for its erotic and violent content. The film eventually found a home on the UK-based platform Shadows Streaming via Amazon Prime, and you can watch it here.

More recently she directed La Princesse de Babylone for France Télévisions, which premiered at Annecy in 2024 and received a Special Mention at the Linoleum Animation Festival.

Her latest film in development, the animated documentary Kateryna, explores how the Russo-Ukrainian War is depicted across social media, following the unique perspective of a webcam model who becomes a soldier. Co-produced by Miyu Productions (France) and Moon Man Prod (Ukraine), the project won the ARTE France Prize at this year’s Annecy MIFA pitch, demonstrating its powerful message and well-received concept.

Mary Yanko presenting her film at Linoleum Festival (Photo by Roman Shalamov)

We chatted with Mary about her career so far and to delve deeper into her new project.

First of all, congratulations on ‘Kateryna’ winning the ARTE France Prize at Annecy’s MIFA this year! What do you think resonated most with the jury, and what does this recognition mean for you and the project?

Having now spoken with Helene who curates the Arte program “Short circuit” I can surely say that she actually appreciated Katryna’s writing and the “best script” mention that came with the MIFA prize is another testament to it. As an author I’m reassured that the film will have a life outside film festivals, because once Kateryna is finished it will be available on the Arte’s online platform and will be broadcast on TV.

I consider Kateryna an international story, even though the film is about Ukrainians who grew up with the war, it is also a story about foreigners who watch them through screens and accidentally become spectators of this war while sitting in the comfort of their homes. The foreigners are only depicted in the form of comments that appear on the screen, but it is interesting that Europeans identify with this digital image when watching. Arte’s commitment during this early stage of production proves that they believe French and German audiences will find this story interesting.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

Although the film is based on a real friend’s story, you also drew from many conversations with women in the Ukrainian army, whose stories are rarely told. Did these conversations change your original idea, and in what ways (if any) did they help shape Kateryna’s character?

Talking to soldiers with active online activity experiences was crucial for me to understand what I was dealing with. We are given so much power as filmmakers to present and amplify our points of view. When we’re working with such sensitive topics I believe in staying humble and keeping this power in check by doing extensive research and consulting with those who have actually lived what we are writing. Many soldiers are deeply traumatised by their experience and it’s my responsibility to fact check and be as empathic as I can when I work with such a subject. Some of them helped with important visual details and dialogue, mostly they confirmed the narrative was on the right track.

A female soldier I interviewed admitted to me that she had a hidden past as a camgirl. I was surprised because there was no explicit content on her account. She told me that she sold sexual videos to strangers online to be able to feed her daughter when she couldn’t find work, and she’s afraid that one day someone will find out. She confirmed that it was important for her to be able to read or see stories like Kateryna’s. Animation makes this story anonymous and universal; many Ukrainian women can see themselves in it, and their experience can be shared with viewers in a story designed to be understood, felt, and shared.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

One of the themes running throughout the film is the use of social media; while you shared how you created your first Instagram account in the same year that Russia invaded Ukraine (2014). How do you think platforms like Instagram or TikTok have shaped the way your generation experiences war?

When I need to shelter from ballistic missiles I put a picture online and people thousands of kilometers away can see it and become aware of what I’m going through.

We are people of a modern, very digitalised country with almost no military industrial complex facing one of the world’s greatest powers. We have to constantly remind the international community of our existence to have a chance to defend ourselves. This means playing by the rules the social media are imposing.

In June 2023, my father sent me a video of him making jokes on the front lines. Three days later, he died in combat near Sloviansk. The first thing I did was delete a post promoting a fundraiser for his equipment because I found it too depressing for my followers. I also knew I would need them for other fundraisers and to share information about what’s happening in my country. Like other Ukrainians, I adapt my life to algorithms.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

You trained in both fine arts in Kyiv and animation at Gobelins in Paris, giving you a mix of traditional and digital techniques. How has that background influenced the way you approached Kateryna, which will blend traditional 2D, rotoscoping, 3D techniques and documentary material?

I see endless possibilities in the transformative nature of animation as an art form and a filmmaking tool. If painting is captured in time, then in cinema we have complete control over time. The dynamics of editing, the transition from scene to scene can have an ironic, sarcastic or calming effect on the viewer, adding new contexts.

I am lucky to have a good set of technical knowledge and good producers so I feel very free as a director to mix all the animation techniques I want, and most importantly be able to work with talented teams of artists and animators to make my vision come true.

In your pitch, you described how you want the film to be “aesthetically beautiful, understandable to all, and entertaining”. With the film following two timelines – one depicting the horrors of the frontline; the other with flashbacks to Kateryna’s civilian life – how do you walk the line between beauty and horror?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right? Well not really. I believe we all choose when to make something aesthetically appealing or appalling, in animation more so than in realtime shooting. Then we make that choice again when we choose to keep or remove the footage. Should war be represented as something aesthetically appealing? When a soldier films herself bleeding in a trench in order to fundraise for her team’s equipment should she add a contrast filter or adjust colors before posting? My film asks these questions, but I don’t have definite answers. What I can say is that when I post a video of a missile hit during a beautiful sunset I get more views and reactions then when it’s raining.

You have mentioned how you plan to use real photos and videos of women soldiers in the closing credits. Why was it important to close with documentary material after such a stylized approach?

I think it’s necessary to anchor the film in reality. Animation is an excellent way to convey emotions, but it’s also important to show that these aren’t fictional characters and fantasy drawings. These women exist and are fighting as we work on the film.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

What do you hope international audiences will take away from this film – not just about the war but about your generation’s experience?

I hope they see how a whole generation of Ukrainians like myself end up curating our own trauma, turning survival into a kind of performance through screens. It would be good if they understood through watching the film that we didn’t choose to live like this, but we make it work. Streaming our fate in hopes that the algorithms carry it further is better than dying in silence.

Compared to live-action documentary, what do you think are the strengths of animation in terms of telling a story like this and engaging audiences emotionally?

It wouldn’t be interesting to watch 15 minutes of a film where everyone is looking at the screens! All the shots and all the dialogues of the soldiers in the film are based on real videos, testimonies, interviews. And thanks to animation, I can go beyond the vertical frame shot for social media, change angles, visualize text posts. I can animate flashbacks and scenes that weren’t documented to complete the narration. I have the footage to back up my story, but at the same time I’m free from it.

And lastly, when working with sensitive topics like war PTSD and online sex work, which is by the way still illegal in Ukraine, it’s important to provide the promise of anonymity to the real people behind these stories – animation assures that.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

Kateryna is currently in production, with the Ukrainian portion completed and the French animation phase about to begin, ahead of its scheduled 2027 release. You can keep up to date with Mary and her work at her website, her Instagram, or Twitter/X.

The post Emerging Ukrainian Animator Mary Yanko Discusses Latest Project ‘Kateryna’: Interview appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Over the past couple of months, Skwigly and Linoleum Festival have been working hard to bring a series of free online lectures on six topics regarding the development your animation project; whether short film or TV series, whether 2D, 3D or stop motion.

As part of the UK/UA Animation Lab initiative, the talks were given by industry experts Simone Giampaolo, Fokion Xenos, Helen Brunsdon, Olivier Catherin, Kasia Gromadzka, and Britt Raes; and aimed to give a better understanding of how the industry works, how to pitch a project, how to promote yourself, and more.

We are pleased to announce that all the lectures are now available online for you to watch in your own time Please feel free to share them, and we hope you find them helpful!

Animation Production Pipeline (for 3D and 2D Projects) – with Simone Giampaolo

Simone walks us through the production process of a series and a short, talking about the steps prior to pre-production, such as setting up the pipeline and getting the team familiar with it. Discussing both 2D and CG pipelines and how they differ on production stages. How the team communicates, the review process, and remote working.

Preparing an Animation Pitch Deck & Presentation – with Fokion Xenos

Fokion looks at topics such as how to structure a pitch deck and presentation, important information to cover in a pitch, how much detail to go into, how long should it be, pitching a series verses a short film, what makes a great pitch deck, and tips for presenting.

Animation Budgets: Considerations & Practices for TV Series & Short Film Budgets – with Helen Brunsdon

This talk focuses on putting together a budget document, touching upon key production items to consider, considerations outside of production costs, difference between short film verse TV series budgets, and scheduling.

Funding Possibilities & Co-Productions – with Olivier Catherin

In this lecture, Olivier explores reasons to co-produce, advantages & disadvantages of co-pro, how to find partners and what to keep in mind when looking for them, finance strategies and funding opportunities in the present climate.

Forming the Team, Their Roles & Responsibilities – with Kasia Gromadzka

Kasia walks us through the process and considerations of putting together a team; highlighting the key roles in a production and what they do, the structure of a production team, and how it differs between short film and TV series.

Festivals & Forums: Promoting Your Film – with Britt Raes

In the final lecture in the series, Britt looks at how to present your personal brand and your film, how to stand out from the crowd, festival strategies, and other self promotional tips.

The project “UK/UA Animation Lab” is organised with the financial support of the UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme designed by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute. The UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme aims to continue and strengthen the collaborations that have emerged between UK and Ukrainian cultural organisations as a result of or in parallel to the UK/Ukraine Cultural Season 2022-2023.

The post Developing Your Animation Project: All 6 Lectures Now Available Online | UK/UA Animation Lab appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

In March, Skwigly announced the UK/UA Animation Lab programme in partnership with LINOLEUM Animation Festival – a project that aims to foster the development of the Ukrainian animation industry, especially up and coming young talent. Following a successful call-for-projects, we matched three Ukrainian animators with three British directors and we are pleased to say the mentorship programme is in full swing, with the participants pitching their projects at both LINOLEUM (Ukraine) in September, and Manchester Animation Festival (UK) in November.

We can now announce the six FREE online lectures that will be taking place this autumn as part of the UK/UA Animation Lab programme for all animation professionals; both in Ukraine and internationally.

The series of lectures will last approx. 75-minutes, including a Q&A, and will take place every other Wednesday afternoon (4pm UK time); aiming to give a better understanding of how the industry works, how to pitch a project, how to promote yourself, and more.

How to watch

All lectures will be streamed via the LINOLEUM YouTube channel at the date and time specified below – and don’t worry, we will be re-posting the link to watch on our social media channels leading up to each lecture!

Free Online Lectures & Dates

Animation Production Pipeline (for 3D and 2D Projects) Wednesday 4th September, 4pm (UK time) / 6pm (Kyiv time) Speaker: Simone Giampaolo We will walk through the production process of a series and a short, talking about the steps prior to pre-production, such as setting up the pipeline and getting the team familiar with it. Discussing both 2D and CG pipelines and how they differ on production stages. How the team communicates, the review process, and remote working. Click here to join the talk live, or set a notification.

Preparing an Animation Pitch Deck & Presentation Wednesday 18th September, 4pm (UK time) / 6pm (Kyiv time) Speaker: Fokion Xenos We will look at topics such as how to structure a pitch deck and presentation, important information to cover in a pitch, how much detail to go into, how long should it be, pitching a series verses a short film, what makes a great pitch deck, and tips for presenting.

Animation Budgets: Considerations & Practices for TV Series & Short Film Budgets Wednesday 2nd October, 4pm (UK time) / 6pm (Kyiv time) Speaker: Helen Brunsdon This talk will focus on putting together a budget document, touching upon key production items to consider, considerations outside of production costs, difference between short film verse TV series budgets, and scheduling.

Funding Possibilities & Co-Productions Wednesday 9th October, 4pm (UK time) / 6pm (Kyiv time) Speaker: Olivier Catherin In this lecture, we will explore reasons to co-produce, advantages & disadvantages of co-pro, how to find partners and what to keep in mind when looking for them, finance strategies and funding opportunities in the present climate.

Forming the Team, Their Roles & Responsibilities Wednesday 30th October, 4pm (UK time) / 6pm (Kyiv time) Speaker: Kasia Gromadzka We will walk through the process and considerations of putting together a team; highlighting the key roles in a production and what they do, the structure of a production team, and how it differs between short film and TV series.

Festivals & Forums: Promoting Your Film Wednesday 6th November, 4pm (UK time) / 6pm (Kyiv time Speaker: Britt Raes The final talk in the series will look at how to present your personal brand and your film, how to stand out from the crowd, festival strategies, and other self promotional tips.

The project “UK/UA Animation Lab” is organised with the financial support of the UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme designed by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute. The UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme aims to continue and strengthen the collaborations that have emerged between UK and Ukrainian cultural organisations as a result of or in parallel to the UK/Ukraine Cultural Season 2022-2023.

The post Announcing 6 Online Industry Lectures on Developing Your Animation Project – UK/UA Animation Lab appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

We are pleased to announce the final participants of the joint project we are running with LINOLEUM Festival – UK/UA Animation Lab – the initiative that aims to foster the development of the Ukrainian animation industry!

Winning Projects

Cherry Pierogi (Short film)

Directed by Olha Havrylova 

Synopsis: The narrative unfolds through the lens of a child who perceives the carefree world around her as commonplace. Yet, subtle nuances within the idyllic scene offer glimpses into less cheerful events in the elderly woman’s life.

Cherry Pierogi – by Olha Havrylova

Frescoes of Memory (Short film)

Directed by Alexandra Dzhiganskaya

Synopsis: The film Frescoes of Memory tells a story of my grandmother Kira based on an actual interview recorded in her home in Bessarabia, the distant south of Ukraine. She talks about her experiences growing up as a Bulgarian minority after the region was occupied by the Soviet Union and foreign Russian language suddenly was imposed on her and the whole village.

Frescoes Of Memory – by Alexandra Dzhiganskaya

Daylight Saving Time Transition (TV Series)

Directed by Iryna Sosimovych

Synopsis: The series is part of a project within the Illogical Adult World universe. This is a 3-part series about 3 friends – children who are about to become teenagers – who are looking for adventures during spring break.

Daylight Saving Time Transition – by Iryna Sosimovych

The filmmakers will have mentoring sessions with British industry experts, who will be announced in due course.

We would also like to remind our readers that in autumn we will be holding a series of lectures on the production and promotion of animated films. These are free to attend and more information will be released closer to the time.

UK/UA Animation Lab is organised with the financial support of the UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme designed by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute.

The post Final Projects Announced for Skwigly/LINOLEUM Mentorship Programme – UK/UA Animation Lab appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Skwigly Animation Magazine, in partnership with LINOLEUM Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival, and with the support of the British Council Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute, announces the call for Ukrainian short films and TV series in development for the UK/UA Animation Lab.

The project aims to foster the development of the Ukrainian animation industry, especially young talent, after the stagnating effect caused by the Russian invasion. The lab will focus on helping artists understand the best industry practices when it comes to developing and promoting their animated project; from the early stages of pitching, to successful self-promotion and international distribution.

Participants will have four weeks to submit their project (4th March – 1st April). From the submitted applications, mentors will select three projects, whose representatives (director or producer) will:

• Develop their project ahead of the production period
• Create a successful pitch deck for presentation to potential co-producers, with the participation of British producers and directors
• Present the project at the LINOLEUM festival in Kyiv (September 4-8th)
• Present the project at a UK animation festival T.B.C (October-December)

The deadline for project submission is 1st April 2024.

You can fill the application via this link https://cutt.ly/3wC956HR

The organizers reserve the right not to inform the participants about the reasons for refusal.

Free online lectures for all

Aside from the mentorship programme, the lab will include a series of free online lectures held by international speakers on: forming the team, roles and responsibilities of various team members; creating and managing a production budget; funding possibilities for co-production; ways of promoting your film, visiting festivals and forums; preparing a pitch deck/presentation.

This series of lectures will give a better understanding of how the industry works and will be valuable for all animation newcomers; both in Ukraine and internationally.

The project “UK/UA Animation Lab” is organised with the financial support of the UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme designed by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute. The UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme aims to continue and strengthen the collaborations that have emerged between UK and Ukrainian cultural organisations as a result of or in parallel to the UK/Ukraine Cultural Season 2022-2023.

The post Skwigly Partner with LINOLEUM Festival for Ukrainian Animation Mentor Scheme | Call for Projects appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.