Master Classes section is a unique educational project within the framework of the Odesa International Film Festival. The program of the section includes master classes, meetings, and discussions with leading Ukrainian and international film professionals.

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Participants can learn about current trends in the film industry, discuss challenges and prospects in filmmaking, and receive practical advice from experts.

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Master Classes section is an excellent opportunity for students, young filmmakers, and cinema enthusiasts to deepen their knowledge, exchange experiences, and become part of the cinematic community.

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Master Classes Schedule

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Access is available with festival passes or tickets.

Zhovten Cinema, 26 Kostiantynivska Street, Classic Hall
 

September 25

 

16:00 – 17:00
“Suspilne Media Library: The Largest Media Archive in Ukraine: What, for Whom, Why, and How?”

The presentation will feature Suspilne’s unique media archive — one of the largest in Ukraine, covering materials from the 1950s to the present. The archive preserves the legacy of republican television and all regional TV and radio companies, stored on various media formats. Taisia Turchyn, Head of Suspilne’s Mediatheque, will talk about the processes of digitization, cataloguing, and preserving archival materials, as well as the challenges related to technical support and metadata. Special attention will be given to how the archive can serve as a valuable tool for filmmakers, journalists, and researchers — how to find the right video, access it, and use it in their projects.
 

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18:00 – 19:30
“Being an Actor.” Film screening of *Call Sign Artist* and a creative talk with Oleksandr Pecherytsia — theatre and film actor, People’s Artist of Ukraine, volunteer, veteran, and actor of the Franko Theatre.

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September 26

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16:00 – 17:00
“Dance as a Documentary Technique.” Masterclass by Director Joe Hill and Cinematographer Nathaniel Brown
What happens when the subject of a documentary forces you to seek new ways of storytelling? Every aspect of the story is grounded in truth, yet some feelings go beyond words and language. For the participants featured in *Match in a Haystack*, language was not always the usual form of self-expression. The film crew therefore explored dance and movement as a fully-fledged tool of documentary storytelling — and these techniques may shape the future of how stories are told.
Joe Hill — Director.

Five-time Emmy Award winner, director, producer, and cinematographer. Best known for his work with VICE News, filming in dozens of countries and creating documentaries for HBO, Showtime, and VICE TV.
Nathaniel Brown — Cinematographer.

Award-winning filmmaker known for intimate, character-driven works that highlight the voices of marginalized communities. His films have been published by The New York Times, CNN, and NOWNESS, and screened at festivals worldwide.

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September 27

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12:00 – 14:00
“FIPRESCI Centennial – 100 Years of Film Criticism in Wartime: The Ukrainian Perspective”
Moderator: Alik Shpyliuk — OIFF Program Consultant, National Coordinator of FIPRESCI
Speakers: Maryna Braterska-Dron — Professor at KNUTKiT; Oksana Volosheniuk — Head of the Union of Film Critics of Ukraine; Serhii Trymbach — Film Critic, Screenwriter, FIPRESCI Member; Volodymyr Voitenko — Editor-in-Chief of *KINO-KOLO*; Oleksandr Husiev — Film Critic, Deputy Head of the Union of Film Critics of Ukraine; Ihor Kromf — Film Critic, FIPRESCI Member; Yaroslav Pidgora-Hviazdovskyi — Film Critic, Armed Forces Veteran; Oleh Chornyi — Film Critic, Member of the Ukrainian Film Academy

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16:00 – 17:00
“FILMAR: How New Approaches to Lighting Can Save a Film’s Budget?”
Cinematographer and Gaffer Ihor Ivanko presents the initiative *FILMAR. Lighting Crew* — a new format of organizing lighting teams that improves on-set quality, allows productions to spend less and achieve more, and helps involve veterans and people with disabilities in film production.

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September 29

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13:00 – 14:00
“How to Successfully Shoot Feature Films During Wartime.” Talk with Anna Yatsenko — Ukrainian screenwriter, director, and producer.
Since 2015, while still a directing student, Anna Yatsenko worked on the sets of several feature films. In 2018, she graduated with honors from KNUTKiT named after I. K. Karpenko-Karyi with a degree in Feature Film Directing. From 2017 to 2020, she worked as a development producer at LimeLite. In 2020, she co-founded the production company ForeFilms and began working as a producer. As a director, Anna made two short films — *Vichinst* and *Operator Viktoria* — screened at festivals in Tallinn, New York, Palm Springs, among others. She is currently working on her debut feature film *Siblings*.
As a producer, Anna is known for films such as *Me and Felix* (dir. Iryna Tsilyk, Warsaw IFF, 2022), *Luxembourg, Luxembourg* (dir. Antonio Lukich, Venice 'Horizons' and TIFF, 2022), *Valeria Is Getting Married* (dir. Mikal Vinik, Venice 'Horizons Extra'), *Reflection* (dir. Valentyn Vasyanovych, Venice, 2021), *You Are the Universe* (dir. Pavlo Ostrikov, TIFF, 2024), and *For Victory* (dir. Valentyn Vasyanovych, TIFF, 2025).

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September 30

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17:30 – 18:30
Training “A Voice Worth a Million” by Natalka Denysenko
An event for everyone who wants to master their voice, confidently present themselves, boost communication skills, and experience the power of acting tools in everyday life.

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October 1

16:00 – 17:00
“Top Tips for Beginning Documentarians.” Talk with Evgeny Afineevsky
Evgeny Afineevsky — Director, Oscar and Emmy nominee, renowned for films about the most crucial contemporary conflicts. His works *Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom* (2015), *Cries from Syria* (2017), *Francesco* (2020), and *Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom* (2022) received international acclaim, awards, and were screened at leading festivals worldwide — from Venice to Toronto.
At the heart of his work lies the power of documentary cinema as a tool of resistance, compassion, and memory. He films where the struggle for freedom and dignity continues, risking his own life to capture the truth. At the masterclass, Afineevsky will share his experience working in conflict zones, speak about the ethical challenges of documentary filmmaking, and explain how to turn personal stories into universal messages for the world.

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October 2

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14:00 – 15:00
“Creating a Narrative Documentary Film.” Masterclass by Joshua Zeman
Joshua Zeman will discuss the tools and techniques that allow archival materials, interviews, and real events to be transformed into captivating, suspenseful stories that make the audience forget they are watching a documentary.
Joshua Zeman — American director, screenwriter, and producer known for documentaries that combine investigative journalism, social analysis, and gripping narratives. His works (*Cropsey, The Killing Season, Murder Mountain, The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness*) have received international recognition. In 2024, he directed *Checkpoint Zoo*, a documentary about the evacuation of animals from Feldman Ecopark during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.

 

 

 

 

 

16:00 – 17:00
“How to Tell the World’s Stories: The Art of International Documentary Filmmaking with Artūras Jevdokimas”
Moderator: Ivanna Khitsinska — Producer
Speaker: Artūras Jevdokimas — Renowned Lithuanian director, screenwriter, and producer. He studied television directing at the Vilnius Conservatory and film directing at the Tbilisi Theatre and Film Institute, and trained at Anthology Film Archives in New York. His documentaries and shorts have been screened and awarded at numerous international festivals. Notable works include *Life and Death of a Christmas Tree* (2023), *Second Hand* (2019), *Anthology of The Plot* (2015), *Winter Parallels* (2007). He also works as a producer, screenwriter, editor, and curator, contributing significantly to Lithuanian cinema.

 

 

 

17:30 – 18:30
“The Art of Pitching: Secrets of a Successful Film Project Presentation” by Ringaile Lescinskiene
Moderator: Ivanna Khitsinska — Producer
Speaker: Ringaile Lescinskiene — Lithuanian filmmaker with over 15 years of experience, CEO and producer at Nuline Kopija (Zero Copy). She has produced notable projects including *A Poem for Little People* (dir. Ivan Sautkin, CPH:DOX 2024) and *Life and Death of a Christmas Tree* (dir. Artūras Jevdokimas, Tallinn Black Nights 2023). As head of Funky Production House in Georgia, she supported the short film *8 Minutes* (2017), which won the Silver Crane Award of the Lithuanian Film Academy.
Her work spans documentary, advertising, and fiction, earning international recognition and awards, including the Grand Prix of the International World Tourism Film Festival (2018). Ringaile Lescinskiene is a key figure in contemporary European cinema, consistently telling authentic stories and shaping a new cinematic language.
Selected Filmography:
• A Poem for Little People (2024, Ukraine/Lithuania, doc)
• Life & Death of a Christmas Tree (2023, Lithuania/Denmark/Germany, doc)
• 8 Minutes (2017, Lithuania, short fiction)