Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization celebrating 40 years of the Spirit Awards, announced today, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, that the first Global Media Makers (GMM) Residency to engage Ukrainian filmmakers will be held January 16-22, during the 15th Edition of When East Meets West in Trieste, Italy.

The residency is presented in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Institute, When East Meets West (WEMW), and the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE).

“We are thrilled to partner with EAVE and WEMW to bring our communities together in an effort to support an incredible group of filmmakers from Ukraine, who are developing compelling stories with a global reach,” said María Raquel Bozzi, Senior Director of Education and International Programs at Film Independent, “The mission of our organizations and our commitment to supporting new independent voices from around the world are perfectly aligned.”

Kristina Trapp, EAVE CEO, added, “We are excited to launch this first partnership. The residency will offer eight amazing producer-director teams and their projects from Ukraine a perfect package: top notch tutoring from the GMM mentors, shared sessions with EAVE SLATE and EAVE IMPACT THINK TANK, and plenty of networking opportunities at the vibrant WEMW market.”

This intensive week-long residency will serve sixteen talented filmmakers, creative producers, and writer-director teams, with fiction and documentary feature film projects in early development, exploring a wide array of issues of social importance from their country. Leading this residency are esteemed U.S. mentors Mollye Asher (Nomadland), Ruth Atkinson (Script Consultant), Karin Chien (Bitterroot), Caroline Libresco (Food and Country), Alix Madigan (Winter’s Bone), Avril Speaks (Jinn) and Alejandro Valdes-Rochin (Menudo: Forever Young). These industry professionals will provide an overview of independent film best practices in the United States, while exploring their relevance in the Ukrainian and European context. Mentors will also delve into development strategies for the projects participating in the program. In addition, this will be a great time for American and European mentors participating in the different programs at WEMW to compare notes and foster opportunities for crosspollination.

 “Over the past years the concrete support to the Ukrainian film industry has been one of the key priorities of When East Meets West,” said Alessandro Gropplero, WEMW Director. “Therefore, today we are so happy to expand our mission and goals, and we are delighted to be part of the first GMM Residency in Europe, as we are sure that all these talented Ukrainian selected teams will get precious feedback, meaningful perspectives, as well as new beneficial connections during our market.”

The Fellows selected to the 2025 GMM Residency in Trieste and their films are:

Ukraine

 

>Director: Serhii Zeinalov

Producer: Diana Nazaruk

Project Title: 533 Days – Separated by The Bridge

Project Type: Documentary Feature

Logline: After Russia’s occupation of Ukraine and the Antoniv Bridge’s destruction, its 83-year-old chief engineer begins a new life in his ancestral homeland.

 

> Writer/Director: Sabina Asadova

Writer/Director/Producer: Mira Oyetoro

Project Title: Between Strange Borders

Project Type: Documentary Feature

 

>Director: Snizhana Gusarevych             

Producer: Anya Perepelytsia

Project Title: Flowers On Marsovo

Project Type: Documentary Feature

Logline: An observation of a young man whose daily work of preparing fallen soldiers for burial overshadows his own life.

 

>Writer/Director: Oleksandr Roshchyn

Producer: Viktor Shevchenko

Project Title: Mamayi

Project Type: Narrative Feature

Logline: During the 2009 election in Ukraine, two television reporters become unwilling instruments in a dirty presidential campaign for pro-Russian candidate Yanukovych.

 

>Writer/Director: Marysia Nikitiuk

Producer: Alyona Kaporina

Project Title: Noah

Project Type: Narrative Feature

Logline: Experienced sapper (military engineer) Noah mentors young soldier Andriy who, despite his fears, faces intense battles to protect his comrades on the front line.

 

>Director: Nikon Romanchenko

Producer: Julia Sinkevych

Project Title: Reconstruction

Project Type: Narrative Feature

Logline: Maria, an art restorer, struggles to regain her inner strength and finds promise among war-torn ruins.

 

>Writer/Director: Alina Panasenko

Producer: Lyuba Knorozok

Project Title: Skein

Project Type: Narrative Feature

Logline: While litigating to protect a historical building, Myroslava suddenly spirals into depression and chaotic erotic affairs, struggling to keep her own life from collapsing.

 

>Writer/Director: Nadia Parfan

Producer: Anastasiia Kanarova

Project Title: The Amateur

Project Type: Documentary Feature

Logline: Volodymyr Zaikovsky, a former seaman who settles in Soviet Ukraine, begins experimenting with cinema as a new country is born in front of his lens.

 

ABOUT GLOBAL MEDIA MAKERS

Global Media Makers (GMM) is an in-depth, intensive artist development exchange program that produces residencies for international mid-career writers, directors and producers in film and television. GMM fosters networks between U.S. industry leaders and mid-career film and tv professionals around the world.  GMM is a cultural diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and implemented by Film Independent. Since 2016 the program has nurtured the careers of 214 filmmakers from Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa through the LA Residency where GMM fellows have developed their projects with the support of acclaimed entertainment industry professionals.

Over the last nine years, 33 films supported by GMM have premiered in prestigious film festivals around the world. Recent films that have been developed through GMM’s Flagship LA Residency include Maksud Hossain’s Saba (TIFF & Busan 2024), Subhadra Mahajan and Shyam Bora’s Second Chance (Karlovy Vary & AFI Fest 2024), Mira Shaib and Zeina Badran’s Arzé (Beijing & Tribeca 2024), Min Bahadur Bham’s Shambhala (Berlinale & Locarno 2024), Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan’s Nocturnes (Sundance 2024), Mohamed Kordofani and Amjad Abu Alala’s Goodbye Julia (Cannes 2023).

ABOUT THE BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) leads the United States’ global efforts to engage individuals through academic, cultural, professional, sports, film, music, and youth exchanges, thereby promoting peace and increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other nations.  Through these people-to-people exchanges and programs, the Bureau supports broader U.S. foreign policy goals, including access to education, economic opportunity and equity, and societal inclusion.

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT

For 40 years, Film Independent has helped filmmakers get their projects made and seen. The nonprofit organization’s core mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling in all its forms, and to foster a culture of inclusion, in support of a global community of artists and audiences who embody diversity, innovation, curiosity and uniqueness of vision.

In addition to producing the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the organization helps creative professionals with Artist Development programs, grants and labs. Signature mentorship program Project Involve fosters the careers of talented filmmakers from communities historically excluded from the film industry. Education events and workshops equip filmmakers of all ages and experience levels with tools and resources. Global Media Makers, a cultural exchange program produced in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, provides career-building opportunities for international film professionals. And year-round screening series Film Independent Presents offers a robust program of unique cinematic experiences, including screenings, conversations, Live Reads and Bring the Noise musical events.

For more information or to become a Member, visit filmindependent.org.