Maryna Vroda

Maryna Anatoliivna Vroda (born 22 February 1982) is a Ukrainian film director and screenwriter.

Early life and education Born on 22 February 1982, in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Maryna graduated from the Kyiv Secondary School No. 113, and later enrolled at the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University and was awarded a degree in directing, in 2007. She went to seminars led by Valery Sivak and Mykhailo Ilyenko.

Career Maryna collaborated with Sergei Loznitsa after graduating. International cinema festivals in both Eastern and Western Europe have screened her student films in 2008. She has produced a series of short films including "Forgive" (2003), "The Rain" (2007), "The Oath" (2007), and "Family Portrait" (2009).

After accepting the Locarno Critics' Prize and Best Director Award, Maryna presented her idea for the film to the Seminci before going in front of the public. According to her, "Stepne" is an emotion that came from the "feeling that she had lost a country," Ukraine, and it is what motivated her to "return home." In November 2023, her film "Stepne" takes home the Best Feature award at Scanorama. At Italy's 35th Trieste International Film Festival, Maryna's film "Stepne" won an award. Her debut movie was recognized by the jury for its moving portrayal of a collapsing nation, which skillfully combined sweetness with sincerity to explore themes of suffering and dashed dreams.

Political positions Maryna declined the Kinoshock film festival award in September 2015 to show her support for Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who is imprisoned in Russia. She backed an open letter sent in June 2018 to international leaders by lawmakers, human rights advocates, and cultural leaders urging them to stand up for Sentsov and other political prisoners.

Personal life Maryna presently splits her time between Berlin and Kyiv.

Filmography Year Title Short Film 2011 Cross-Country Short Film Director and screenplay 2014 Snails 2015 Penguin 2017 The Oath Short Film 2022 Himmel & Erde - Небо та Земля TV Series 2023 ''Stepne The film centres on a group of teenagers as they participate in a cross-country run, with one boy (Egor Agarkov) splitting off from the class to run on his own and experiencing very different visions of adult life outside of school.

The film premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where it was the winner of the Short Film Palme d'Or.

Awards and recognitions On the Day of Ukrainian Cinema, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree (No.465/2023) naming Maryna as the Honored Artist of Ukraine and bestowing state medals to notable cinema professionals.