Netflix and a network of institutions renewed for the 4th year their partnership supporting Ukrainian filmmakers and the country’s film industry affected by the war. A new, bigger round of 20 grants of $15,000 each will be distributed by the Ukrainian Film Academy to support films during the post-production stage. House of Europe, together with New York Film Academy are also opening applications for an online, intensive course on practical aspects of managing post-production processes.

​​This is already the fourth edition of the initiative, which has from the beginning consistently supported Ukrainian filmmakers with mentorship, capacity building, new opportunities and financial support.   It is also the second year that the programme is offering support for the post-production stage of feature films — a crucial phase in bringing stories to audiences. 

The joint initiative has led to several Ukrainian films receiving international festival recognition and distribution. For example, the film Militantropos, directed by Yelyzaveta Smit, Alina Gorlova, and Semen Mozhovyi, was selected for the prestigious Quinzaine des Cinéastes programme at the Cannes Film Festival. Daughter, directed by Yehor Olesov, and The Glass House, directed by Taras Dron, premiered at the Warsaw Film Festival. Songs of Slow Burning Earth, directed by Olha Zhurba premiered at the Venice Film Festival while the film U Are the Universe, directed by Pavlo Ostrikov, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

These initiatives, supported by Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity, offer financial assistance to Ukrainian artists for the creation of new films and the post-production of existing feature projects. Over the last three years, 200 industry professionals have received stipends for creative purposes; education and mentoring have been offered to over 850 Ukrainian filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers, and others in the creative community. Script development grants distributed through the Ukrainian Film Academy strengthened a total of 73 film projects while 10 advanced films got financial assistance to complete post-production.

“The full-scale Russian invasion has created unprecedented challenges for Ukrainian cinema. Film studios and shooting locations have been damaged or destroyed, creative teams have been forced to suspend dozens of projects, and many talented industry professionals have temporarily abandoned their specialized work or left the country. We are deeply grateful to Netflix, the Ukrainian Film Academy, House of Europe, and the New York Film Academy for their consistent and systematic support. This collaboration is not merely financial assistance; it is a powerful signal of faith in Ukrainian culture and its future. The focus on post-production is particularly valuable, as the final stage of filmmaking often becomes the most challenging under the limited funding conditions of wartime. Thanks to these grants, Ukrainian films will be able to complete production and reach audiences”, said Mykola Tochytskyi, Minister of Culture and Strategic Communication of Ukraine. 

“Even as Russia’s war rages on, Ukrainian filmmakers keep creating — telling honest, moving stories the world needs to hear. Through our flagship House of Europe programme, we’re proud to support the fourth round of this initiative, delivered in partnership with Netflix, the Ukrainian Film Academy, and the New York Film Academy. Together, we're up-skilling the industry, helping filmmakers to bring powerful stories to life and enabling their cinematic vision to reach completion,” said Katarína Mathernová, EU Ambassador to Ukraine.

This year, to support the professional development of Ukrainian film and television creators and help advance their projects, the initiative includes the following:

●   A program run by the Ukrainian Film Academy, offering grants for post-production of  $15,000 each to 20 Ukrainian feature-length fiction and documentary films. Applications will be evaluated by five independent international experts: producer and director Helen Lõhmus (Estonia), creative producer Ioanina Pavel (Romania), producer Izabela Kiszka-Hoflik (Poland), screenwriter and producer Jani Pösö (Finland), and producer and President of the Slovak Film and Television Academy, Katarína Krnáčová (Slovakia). The call for applications is open until June 6^th, 2025. Additional details are available on the Academy’s website here.

● House of Europe, in partnership with  New York Film Academy, will deliver a comprehensive post-production course and film festival strategy workshop. Targeted at industry professionals, Participants will take part in a two day intensive training, which will focus on practical aspects of managing post-production processes and include a Q&A with a special industry guest. The course will also feature a workshop on film festivals strategies and best practices. Applications can be submitted here by 5 June, 15:00 Kyiv time.

As in the previous years, any Ukrainian artist may apply for participation in the initiatives regardless of their current place of residence. The continued collaboration between partners will create more opportunities for artists to gain new skills and grow their careers in the film and television industries on an international level.

About Netflix

Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services, with over 300 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

About the Ukrainian Film Academy

The Ukrainian Film Academy is a national association of experts and professionals in the field of cinema and film production. It was established in 2016 to support and promote contemporary Ukrainian cinema. As of 2024, the Academy unites 580 professionals.

Since 2017, the Ukrainian Film Academy has been organizing the prestigious annual event Golden Dzyga, which presents Ukraine’s National Film Awards for outstanding professional achievements in the development of Ukrainian cinema. The main symbol of the awards — the Golden Dzyga statuette — represents the dynamic and continuous growth of Ukrainian filmmaking.

About House of Europe
House of Europe is a programme funded by the European Union and implemented by Goethe-Institut Ukraine fostering professional and creative exchange between Ukrainians and their colleagues in EU countries and the UK. The programme focuses on different professional fields: culture and creative industries, education and youth work, social entrepreneurship, and media. An additional priority is put on supporting the national minorities of Ukraine.

This encompasses 15+ separate programme lines enabling Ukrainians to carry out personal projects, or to enrol in courses, conferences, and internships in the EU and the UK. The programme funds cultural cooperation and literature translation between Ukraine and the EU and the UK, along with the revitalisation of cultural infrastructure. House of Europe supports the safeguarding of Ukrainian cultural heritage, the development of creative businesses and media projects, and the holding of cultural events outside the Kyiv bubble. Various learning and matchmaking opportunities, such as Digital Labs, workshops, discussions, conferences, and hackathons, are offered.

About New York Film Academy: 
New York Film Academy (NYFA) is a world-renowned film, media, and performing arts college that offers BFA and MFA degrees, short-term workshops, 1-and-2 year programs, certificates, online classes, and Summer Camps for teens and kids. NYFA has campuses in New York, Los Angeles, and Florence, Italy, and runs workshops across the globe. Known for its immersive hands-on learning approach, NYFA students gain practical, real-world  experience alongside industry-professional faculty in Filmmaking, Acting for Film, Screenwriting, Cinematography, Producing, 3D Animation & VFX, Game Design, Musical Theatre, Photography, and more. Learn more at nyfa.edu