We are excited to share our impressions of the 2-day workshop, “Directing is a (non) women’s profession,” which took place on October 12 and 19.

We are truly inspired by both the participants and the incredible skills of Gala Kozyutynska — a producer, creative director, and activist who led this workshop for us. This is the second time we have organized this event, as we aim to see more women in the film industry as directors, producers, and editors etc. Women have the talent and the potential to succeed in the film industry, even if these professions are still stereotypically considered “male.”

Gala Kozyutynska is the founder of the creative studio What if in Lviv, the informal education school for teenagers What if Creative School, and an artist residency Horishche in the Carpathians. Her main focus is directing, but she is also passionate about sharing her experience, bringing people together, and creating various projects on topics such as environmental protection and support for vulnerable groups. Gala constantly explores the worlds of art, film, nature, art therapy, and interpersonal connections. Her short documentary, Storks Always Come Home, is available on Takflix, where viewers can also see how Horishche looked in its early days.

During the first part of the workshop, participants learned about creating a director’s treatment, finding equipment for filming, and the key roles involved on a film set. Much attention was given to the importance of composition and lighting, which are just as crucial as the work of the actors. We also discussed the barriers that prevent women from succeeding in the film industry, where gender discrimination remains widespread. Participants completed practical tasks and studied different artistic tools for film creation. After the first part of the workshop, they were assigned a homework project — to create a video. We were delighted to see the works of these talented women as they shared their experiences, dreams, and ambitions.

In the second part of the workshop, held a week later, participants deepened their knowledge of editing techniques, color correction, and post-production. We are confident that these skills will serve as valuable tools for participants in their fight against gender inequality through creativity and as part of their personal activist pursuits. We hope to see even more women’s names in the Ukrainian film industry.

 

*We held a 2-day workshop “Directing (NON) women profession” as part of the project “Strength of Action: Training Program for Women’s Activism” with the financial support of the Council of Europe, which is implemented by the NGO Feminist Workshop. The content of this event is the sole responsibility of the Feminist Workshop NGO and does not necessarily reflect the position of the Council of Europe.