Ukrainian Film Academy Co-Founder Julia Sinkevych Named Series Mania Jury President

The Co-Founder of the Ukrainian Film Academy has been named Jury President for this year’s Series Mania.

Julia Sinkevych will judge the annual event’s International Competition, joining 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.

French writer/director Marc Dugain has been appointed Vice-President as Sinkevych’s presence at the Lille event next month is uncertain.

The tireless Sinkevych is the Co-Founder of the Ukrainian Film Academy and a member of the European Film Academy.

From 2010 to 2020, she worked as General Producer of Odessa International Film Festival, one of the biggest audience film festivals in Eastern Europe.

She is also a producer and is currently working on feature films Lucky Girl by Marysia Nikitiuk and Lesia by Nana Janelidze. Past credits include Vitaly Mansky’s Close Relations and Nadia Parfan’s Heatsingers.

Series Mania Founder Laurence Herszberg said: “We have always said that series are the mirror to a period of time that resonate through their stories, their characters, and their subjects.

“Series Mania has always been dedicated to reflecting this continuous and intimate dialogue between culture and society. This is why we feel it is essential today to turn our attention to the tragic situation that is shaking Ukraine and the entire world. We are honored to have Julia serving as our Jury President.”

Sinkevych said she is “deeply moved and honored.”

She added: “At these times we know that culture is a powerful tool to stop the aggression and to bring to the world new talent. My country is part of that world cinema and now is fighting against all odds to demonstrate that it is the right of each human being to bring beauty, art, peace, and novelty to this world.”

The move comes with the Russia/Ukraine invasion almost a week old and the TV world acting, with Russian screen organization Roskino banned from the event and fellow markets Mip TV and NATPE effectively blocking any Russian presence.