Ukrainian filmmaker Julia Sinkevych, this year’s Series Mania Jury President, has spotlighted the strange juxtaposition of spending weeks helping with the war relief effort in her home country before flying to Lille for days of screenings, parties and dinners.
The Ukrainian Film Academy Co-Founder returns home this weekend after the prestigious European drama forum’s closing ceremony, which will crown a winner in the International Competition, at which point she will go back to helping with medical supplies, arranging transportation and supporting local filmmakers.
Lucky Girl, the film she is producing, was in the final touches of post-production when the Russian invasion stopped the Ukrainian creative industry in its tracks and Sinkevych initially thought she wouldn’t be able to make the trip to Series Mania when she was handed the presidency in what was a beautiful show of solidarity.
“This is a different life,” Sinkevych told Deadline during this week’s event. “Back home the environment changed so radically so quickly so when I crossed the border it felt strange. But at these times you do what you can do best and being here [in Lille] is an important part of my profession.”
Sinkevych spent the first two weeks following the invasion in her home of Kyiv but it became too dangerous so she relocated with her mother and aunt to Lviv, leaving the conscripted men in her family behind.
She wants to use her platform to give a voice to Ukrainian creators.
“We are not heard enough,” she explained. “There is such a lack of knowledge about great Ukrainian artists and many are considered Russian. It’s time to bring back our nationality.”
Sinkevych reeled off several successful Ukrainian projects of the past few years including Berlinale selection Terykony and Venice’s Vidblysk, each of which came after a funding injection a decade ago that she has seen slowly improve the local film and TV sector.
That funding was given a further boost when President Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, came to power, although Sinkevych, an independent filmmaker by trade, said this money has been too focused on commercial content.
“The cultural policy concept became more about commercialization, which is not personally my cup of tea,”she added.
“I stand for the development of talent who need support and have freedom of artistic expression. But these differences aren’t there at the moment. We stand as one.”
Sinkevych said she was “surprised, honored and overwhelmed” when invited to be President of a Jury featuring German actor Christian Berkel (Downfall, Valkyrie), Israeli actress Shira Haas (Unorthodox), Turkish creator and director Berkun Oya (Bir Baskadir) and French singer-songwriter and model Yseult, who were all on the same page with our understanding and respect for artists.”
She said she pushed back several times against Series Mania Founder Laurence Herszberg’s offer, asking “Could I really stay objective? Did she really want to choose me?,” but Herszberg insisted she was “100%.”
When Deadline speaks with Sinkevych she still has four titles left to watch in the International Competition so is tight lipped about her preferences but described the shows, which include Michael Hirst’s Billy the Kid and Israel’s Fire Dance, as “quite distinct,” with many focused on the “psychological state of the imperfect main character.”
Series Mania also featured the Series’ Women program and, amongst her many achievements, Sinkevych has worked tirelessly to improve gender equality at festivals.
“Diversity is so important and festivals have to know and underline that,” she added. “They are the meeting point between the spotlight and the subject.”
Having experienced the very best of the European industry, she returns home shortly, unsure what the future holds in a country ravaged by war.