Who are the people behind the festival magic? This lighthearted article is your chance to meet the tireless women in our communications team ahead of the June events. There are ten of us, and we create the materials through which you learn our news: the film program, social media posts, website articles, and newsletters. Read and watch our stories, and if you’re a cinephile — which is quite likely — start drafting spoiler-lists of this year’s festival films.
Dasha Averchenko, record-holder for most films watched, head of communications, and a member of the Selection Committee
How did your story with Docudays UA begin?
Back in 2008, I helped with the festival’s rebranding. I worked not only in communications but also helped select films and invited some of the early foreign guests who were just discovering Ukraine at the time. Since I first experienced festival life from the inside, I haven’t missed a single Docudays. Over time, thanks to the collective efforts of the team, the festival has transformed into an amazing event, a platform for discussing the most important topics, and a place of power.
When is your work most intense?
When everyone else is prepping their holiday dinners, I’m buried in film screenings for our program selection.
What inspires you in your work?
The impact and the variety: a unique team, a thematic focus, and side projects like the Ukraine War Archive and our LAB:DOCU/SYNTHESIS x Ukraine War Archive.
Describe your route to festival venues: what do you see along the way?
I head from the festival office on Mala Zhytomyrska Street through Vozdvyzhenka or Andriivskyi Descent to Zhovten Cinema — I often want to feel the city, watch the capitalʼs hipsters, listen to the modern Ukrainian language, and “hunt” with my camera.
Which films do you especially recommend watching this year?
Songs of Slow Burning Earth by Olia Zhurba from the national competition, and Propagandist by Luuk Bouwman from our DOCU/ART.
Nika Popova, social media sorceress
How did you become part of the Docudays UA team?
I joined in 2019 — after several years of attending and volunteering at the festival. It seems that my quirky resume (which I collaged specially for Docudays) was one of the main reasons I was invited to work here.
When is your work most intense?
Spring! March and April get things warming up, and by summer we’re on fire. Everything the team is preparing needs to be shared so the audience shows up and the magic happens. And we are preparing quite a lot!
How much sleep do you get during peak work periods? Or how much coffee and sweets a day? :)
During my first “working” festivals, I was very nervous, trying to do everything by myself, which meant little sleep, lots of coffee, and countless sweets throughout the day (and during the first lockdown — lots of pizza too). Since then, I’ve learned to find balance, to delegate, to ask for help, and to take care of myself in time. Now I sleep much more, and my coffee and sweets consumption has decreased.
Which films do you recommend watching the most?
Una Sombra Oscilante by Celeste Rojas Mugica from the Chilean Focus and Inside, The Valley Sings by Nathan Fagan from DOCU/SHORT.
Ksenia Opria, festival website editor (a person who interviewed herself)
How did you join the Docudays UA team?
In December 2022, I was burnt out from blackouts and job hunting. I sent 10 determined emails to my favorite organizations, and the match happened. I cherish the sphere of website editing. I love to write!
Do you indulge in sweets during the festival?
The best kind of sweets are cherries, apricots, and peas — I buy them by the bag from grandmas near Kontraktova Ploshcha.
What rituals help you stay grounded during hectic festival days?
Last year, I got a tomato plant for a donation at the festival — and it grew taller than me. That’s how my plant therapy journey began.
Describe your route to the festival venues.
I love the 62 bus that connects Arsenalna with Podil — it’s a picturesque route!
Which films do you recommend watching the most?
My Dear Theo by Alisa Kovalenko from DOCU/Ukraine and the short Fatmé by Diala Al Hindaoui from Docs4Teens.
Mariyka Matiashova, humorist and press coordinator, joins planning meetings along with her cat Kusami
How did you join the Docudays team?
Persistence and development bring results: after my second attempt, I successfully passed the competition for the position of press coordinator at Docudays UA.
When is your work most intense and why?
Two months out, things heat up. A month before, it’s blazing — I’ll be writing an email, and ten more arrive before I can finish one.
What helps you stay sane during these times?
Petting the cat and taking power naps during the day. I also love going out for a walk to clear my head.
Describe your route to the festival venues.
I get to Zhovten romantically — by tram. I grab a coffee on the way, and it’s especially nice when I can take my time sitting under the chestnut trees near the cinema.
Your film recommendations this year?
Kateryna Hornostai’s Timestamp and Glass, My Unfulfilled Life by Rogier Kappers from the DOCU/BEST program.
In our next website article, we will introduce the communications team behind projects such as the human rights program RIGHTS NOW!, Ukraine War Archive, LAB: DOCU/SYNTHESIS x Ukraine War Archive, and the DOCU/CLUB Network. Stay tuned for our updates and see you at the 22nd Docudays UA!
The 22nd Docudays UA is held with the financial support of the European Union, the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, International Renaissance Foundation. The opinions, conclusions, or recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the governments, or organisations of these countries. Responsibility for the content of the publication lies exclusively with the authors and editors of the publication.
