EXCLUSIVE: The Ukrainian Film Academy and House of Europe have launched a pair of landmark initiatives designed to help Ukrainian creatives affected or displaced by the war, with Netflix providing support.
Both launch today and target Ukrainian creatives based anywhere, many of whom have been displaced, as the war enters its sixth month.
The Ukrainian Film Academy program will provide 48 $15,000 screenplay development grants to established two-person creative teams of screenwriters and producers, along with exclusive sessions with industry experts. Applications will be screened by a team of prominent Ukrainian directors and producers, including Natalia Strybuk (Producer), Olesya Lukyanenko (Creative Producer) and Serhiy Zlenko (National Representative of Ukraine at Eurimages).
House of Europe, meanwhile, will award 100 grants of €1,000 ($1,011) to creators of all levels. The outfit has joined forces with Netflix, which will provide education on filmmaking, post-production and pitching.
The two programs will, between them, provide financial support and access to knowledge and experts for Ukrainian filmmakers at all levels of their careers. Qualified applicants can apply via the House of Europe and Ukrainian Film Academy websites from 28 July.
“The Ukrainian film industry is going through difficult times, and therefore it is extremely important that it continues to work and develop,” said Anna Machukh, executive director of the Ukrainian Film Academy. “We believe that the support for film and series production in Ukraine in the form of grants for project development and sessions with international experts will help the industry to continue.”
Dr Christian Diemer, who runs the House of Europe programme, said that Ukrainian filmmakers are “affected by the war in the most vital concerns of their lives – and yet they continue to be filmmakers, full of ideas and professional skills that the world should have. to see now more than ever.”
The move comes a few months after the launch of the $20 million Ukrainian Content Club, a FILM.UA-monitored initiative where global giants such as the BBC and Netflix pre-purchase or co-produce Ukrainian content.
