Grozny: 9 Cities is the first big web documentary, – an interactive film, – which was created in Russia by three independent photographers. Olga Kravets, Maria Morina, and Oksana Yushko have been working on it for 5 years. The film premiered in French, and was subsequently released in English and Russian languages. In 2014, the project received Prix Bayeux-Calvados Award for 
war correspondents in the nomination web-journalism.

At the workshop, the authors’ civic standpoint in a documentary project will be discussed. How to 
tell society about sore subjects. What the work on multimedia project is, and how does it differ from the shooting of documentary film. How to find financing for the project, how to plan the filming process, and how can film concept help in the work. How to interact with human rights 

organizations and what does the work in a conflict zone include. How to preserve motivation and 
find a way to convey the message you consider important. 
 

Maria Morina (Russia), photographer and documentary filmmaker 
Maria is searching for the new ways of communication with the audience, and regards the Internet as a wonderful platform for documentary films distribution. Her short film Nizhnii Tagil Youth about young years and freedom in a factory-city on the borderline between Europe and Asia has received an honorable mention of International Photography Awards in 2012 and took part in 
Rencontres Internationales Paris / Berlin / Madrid 2011/2012. Maria is one of the organizers of 
online festival of women documentary films Doc 8th of March. She takes part in a number of 
exhibitions and festivals in Russia and abroad. Maria lives in Saint-Petersburg, works on the post-
soviet territories. 

Oksana Yushko (Russia), photographer and journalist 
Winner of 2014 NPPA Magazine Lifestyle Story, 2013 BURN MAGAZINE Grant, a finalist of 
Palm Spring Photofestival and Chiang Mai Documentary Photofestival in Thailand in 2013, 
Conscientious Portfolio Competition 2010, and others. Cooperates with Russian and foreign 
editons, such as Russian Reporter, The New York Times, MSNBC, The Financial Times, Le 
Monde, Helsingin Sanomat, International Herald Tribune, and others. Takes part in a number of 
exhibitions and festivals in Russia and abroad, including Great Britain, Finland, France, Germany, USA, Mexico. She is currently working on personal and group projects in Russia, Ukraine and other post-soviet countries. Oksana lives in Moscow. 

Anna Shpakova (Russia), photoeditor, curator, teacher
Curator of the project Grozny: 9 Cities. 
Graduated from psychology department of Lomonosov State University in Moscow, has PhD in 
psychology of art. Worked as a photoeditor at Afisha publishing house, photo service director at 
Ogonyok magazine, art director at Leica Academy in Moscow, and photodirector at RIA News 
agency. Teaches at Rodchenko School of Photography and Multimedia. She is the curator of a 
number of exhibitions in Russia and abroad, commissar of Russia at PhotoQuai 2011 photobiennale in Paris. Finalist of POY 2013 competition in The Best Newspaper nomination with project Moscow News. She is the co-founder of the Fund for Photojournalism development, as well as the founder of photography department at the British Higher School of Art and Design. 

Awards and nominations of Grozny: 9 Cities project 
- Winner of Prix Bayeux-Calvados des correspondants de guerre in web journalism, France, 2014;
- Winner of RPS Wall Grant, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
- Short list of Anthropographia Human Rights Through Visual Storytelling Award, 2012
- Winner of reportage photography competition “In memory of Aleksandr Yefremov”, Tyumen, 
Russia, 2012; 
- Short list of Voies Off Prize Award, 2012
- Winner of PDN Photo-Annual competition in multimedia nomination, 2012
- Nominee of WPO's Moving Image Award / audience choice, 2011
- Finalist of the Manuel Rivera Ortiz Foundation for International Photography Grant, 2011
- Winner of Lens Culture International Exposure Awards in multimedia nomination, 2011
- Finalist of the Aftermath Project Grant, 2010

Exhibition "Grozny: 9 Cities" takes place from March, 21st until April, 5th at the Visual Culture Research Centre (vul. Hlybochytska, 44). The exhibition is open every day, except Monday, from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m.