The unique perspective of Kateryna by Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

Acclaimed Ukrainian animator Mary Yanko has swiftly distinguished herself in the animation world. With a stellar reputation in both Kyiv and Paris and impressions from a background in fine arts and animation, Yanko has been a prolific force since her graduation from Gobelins in 2022. Even as a student, she made her mark directing one of the 2020 Annecy Festival opening sequences. Her contoversial graduation film Vulvine Reine d’Extase (2022), made its way across 60 festivals globally and overcame censorship from YouTube, Instagram, and Vimeo for its adult content. You can watch it here.

Yanko’s recent directorial project La Princesse de Babylone premiered at Annecy in 2024 and was awarded a Special Mention at the Linoleum Animation Festival.

The animator’s latest work in progress, a documentary animation titled Kateryna, provides a fresh take on how the Russo-Ukrainian War is portrayed across social media, through the lens of a webcam model turned soldier. Winning the ARTE France Prize at this year’s Annecy MIFA pitch is a testament to the compelling message and striking concept of the project, co-produced by Miyu Productions (France) and Moon Man Prod (Ukraine).

Unveiling the film at Linoleum Festival- Mary Yanko (Photo by Roman Shalamov)

We took the opportunity to sit down with Mary Yanko for a discussion on her unique approach to animation, her blockbuster career trail, and a deep dive into her latest project.

Let’s start off with a massive congratulations on ‘Kateryna’ snagging the ARTE France Prize at Annecy’s MIFA! Could you share some insights on what really clicked with the jury and how this accolade is uplifting the project?

Post my conversation with Helene, the curator of the Arte program “Short circuit”, it was evident that ‘Kateryna’s’ impressive script-writing notched up the appreciation. As a storyteller, winning the MIFA prize reaffirms the reach and resonance of the film beyond film festivals, as eventually it will be made available on Arte’s online platform and will be aired on television.

I envision Kateryna as a global narrative. It paints the story of Ukrainians who matured with the war, as well as the anecdotes of foreigners who incidentally become spectators of this war seated in the comfort of their homes. Although, these foreigners are visualised only as comments flashing on the screen, it is intriguing how Europeans identify with this digital imagery while viewing. Arte’s early commitment to the project justifies their belief that the French and German audiences will find this story intriguing.

Picturing the warfront- Kateryna by Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

The film draws inspiration from a real friend’s life as well as testimonies from women in the Ukrainian army. Did these narratives significantly impact your original concept and in what ways did they shape Kateryna’s character?

Interactions with actively posting soldiers were crucial in shaping my understanding of the situation. As filmmakers, we assume a responsibility to project accurate and empathetic points of view while dealing with delicate topics such as this. My intensive research and consultations with those who live through these situations helped to correct and confirm the narrative, while also adding to its visually and dialogically important details.

A woman soldier I interviewed shared her secret past as a webcam girl, used to financially support her daughter during tough times. This soldier’s fear of her past being discovered and her affirmation of the need for stories like Kateryna in society helped me realise the importance of rendering anonymity and universality to the narrative. This allows the stories of many Ukrainian women to resonate with viewers in a manner that is designed to be understood, felt, and passed on.

A tale of war through animation-Kateryna by Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

Social media plays a central role in the film and interestingly, you opened your first Instagram account back in 2014, coinciding with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. How has usage of Instagram or TikTok been impactful for your generation’s exposure to the war?

When under siege from ballistic missiles, my fleeting moment of rush finds a place on the internet and instantly connects me to an audience thousands of kilometers away, making them privy to my real-time experiences.

The fascinating digital world allows us, a modern nation with sparse military-industrial complex, to stay pertinent in our fight against a global powerhouse. This implies adhering to the impositions made by social media, and marking our existence regularly to the international community that bolsters our defense.

In 2023, my father’s final days of mirth on the frontlines were abruptly cut short when he fell in a battle near Sloviansk. My instinctive response was to delete a distressing fundraiser post for his equipment as I feared it would depress my followers who would potentially contribute to other fundraisers and help spread awareness about the Ukrainian situation. Adapting life to algorithms has been a shared experience among Ukrainians.

Delve into the Russian-Ukrainian War with Kateryna by Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

Your diverse experience of training in fine arts in Kyiv and animation at Gobelins in Paris must have rendered a unique fusion of traditional and digital techniques. Could you tell us more about the way this background influenced your approach to Kateryna, blending traditional 2D, rotoscoping, 3D techniques and documentary material?

The boundless possibilities of the transformative nature of animation as an art form and filmmaking tool captivate me. Unlike painting, cinema provides absolute control over time. The dynamism of editing and scene transitions can introduce elements of irony, sarcasm, or calm, thereby enhancing the viewer’s experience.

My breadth of technical knowledge, combined with my dedicated producers, liberates me as a director to experiment with a myriad of animation techniques. This environment further enables me to collaborate with gifted artist and animator teams to bring my vision to life.

The film, as you’ve mentioned in your pitch, ensures a “aesthetically engaging, universal and entertaining” experience for viewers. Given that the film straddles two timelines – one capturing the brutality of the frontline and the other illuminating flashbacks from Kateryna’s civilian life – how are you unifying elements of beauty and horror?

Can beauty be subjective? Perhaps not to the extent we believe. As filmmakers, particularly in animation, we choose whether to present something as aesthetically pleasing or horrific. We then revisit this choice while selecting or discarding the footage. But could an appealing representation of war truly be justified in the midst of its reality? For instance, should a soldier add filters to or adjust colors of footage featuring herself bleeding in a trench before posting it online? My film signifies such questions, despite lacking definitive answers. All I can confirm is that a missile strike looks more appealing and attracts more attention during sunset than when it’s raining.

The closing credits of the film are set to feature real pictures and videos of female soldiers. Why did you feel it was crucial to end on a documentary note after employing such a stylized storytelling approach?

I believe it’s essential to ground the film in the reality of the situation. While animation serves as an effective medium for conveying emotions, it’s equally important to underscore that the stories are inspired by real-life characters and authentic experiences, not merely fantasies or fictional creations. These women are alive, fighting for their country as we develop this film.

Witness realities of war with Kateryna by Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

What’s the core message you hope international viewers will grasp from this film – not only about the war but regarding the lived experiences of your generation?

I hope to expose how a generation of Ukrainians, including myself, have had to curate our own trauma, innovatively turning survival into a form of performance visible through screens. It’s pivotal for viewers to grasp that we didn’t opt for this lifestyle, but we make the most of it, streaming our plight with the hope that it will reach out to a wider world, which is preferable to suffering in oblivion.

Compared to live-action documentary, what do you perceive to be the strengths of the animation medium in narrating a story of this nature and engaging audiences on an emotional level?

Frankly, a 15-minute film featuring everyone merely looking at screens wouldn’t be engaging! The shots and dialogues of the soldiers in the film are based on real videos, testimonies, and interviews. And, animation allows me to transcend the typical vertical frame shot for social media and to change angles, visualize text posts, animate undocumented flashbacks, and scenes to enrich the narration. Although I have the actual footage to support my story, I still have the artistic liberty to go beyond it.

Moreover, when dealing with sensitive topics like war PTSD and online sex work, which is illegal in Ukraine, it is imperative to ensure anonymity for the real-life subjects of these narratives – and animation perfectly delivers this promise.

The warfront depictions in Kateryna by Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

‘Kateryna’ is currently under production, with the Ukrainian part completed and the French animation phase on the horizon, readying it for an anticipated 2027 release. Stay informed about Mary and her work through her website, Instagram, or Twitter/X.