Stepan Mykolaiovych Koval[a] (born 18 July 1965) is a Ukrainian film director and animator. Recipient of both the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear and the Taras Shevchenko National Prize in 2017.[1]

Stepan Koval
Степа́н Ко́валь
Koval (right) being presented his Shevchenko National Prize in 2017
Born
Stepan Mykolaiovych Koval

(1965-07-18) 18 July 1965 (age 59)
Alma mater
Occupation(s)Film director and animator
Years active1995–present
Organization(s)Director of Novatorfilm and Novator studios
Notable workThe Tram Was Going, Number Nine
Awardssee here

Early life and education

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Born on 18 July 1965, in the Ukrainian city of Samar. In 1993, Koval graduated from the National Academy of Visual Arts and Architecture. Following this, in 1998, he completed her studies at the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University, specializing as an animated film director.[1][2]

Career

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From 1984 to 1987, Koval worked as a technician-architect in the villages of Krynychky in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and Samar. Following this, between 1997 and 2001, he served as a computer artist for TV graphics at the agency VIKNA, and from 2001 to 2005, she worked with the TV company TET. Since 2006, he has held the position of main director at the Novatorfilm studio in Kyiv, where she has been instrumental in leading various creative endeavors and productions.[1][2]

One of the three most renowned film festivals in the world, the Silver Bear Berlinale, has recognized the short film The Tram Was Going, Number Nine as the first (and thus far, the last) in the history of Ukrainian cinema in 2002. With the help of a group of youthful aficionados and industry professionals, he has been organizing an ambitious multi-episode project called My Country Is Ukraine since 2009.[3] He has held the position of artistic director for the animation project.[1]

Koval claims that making a cartoon takes a lot of work. "In the Soviet era, the system was only constructed, and the artist's job was to simply sit at work for a set length of time and make something."[4]

Political positions

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Koval, the creator of Novator studio, expressed to the Kyiv Post that he believed the initial approach required some elements of communist ideology and propaganda. This approach aimed to establish trust in the system before eventually fostering the development of original content. However, he noted the impracticality of addressing broader systemic issues within this framework. According to him, the state began to allocate more funds for feature and animated films since he was awarded the Silver Bear.[5]

Filmography

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Koval has made several films:[2]

  • Це -  я (1995)
  • Z-z-z (1998)
  • The Tram Was Going, Number Nine (2002)[5]
  • Zludni (2005)[5]
  • Бійка за печиво (2006)
  • Глінька (2008)
  • Стоп насильство (2009)
  • Стати твердим (2010)
  • Щедрик (2011)
  • My Country Is Ukraine[5]
    • Народна мудрість (2011)
    • Чаша Ярослава (2011)
    • Чарівна грязюка (2011)
    • Коломия (2011)
    • Чорне озеро (2012)
    • Казочка про місто Борщів (2012)
    • Чорнозем (2013)

Awards and recognitions

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In 2017, Koval received the Shevchenko National Prize for his work on the animated series My Country Is Ukraine,[3][6] for making a substantial impact on both Ukrainian and European animation.[7] Koval has been given the following membership and awards:[8]

Award Year Category Nominated work Result
KROK International Animated Films Festival 1995 Prize of the Festival Це -  я Won
Open Night Festival 1998 Third Place Z-z-z Won
KROK International Animated Films Festival 2002 Grand Prix of the Festival The Tram Was Going, Number Nine Won
53rd Berlin International Film Festival 2003 Silver Bear[9] The Tram Was Going, Number Nine Won
Animafest Zagreb 2005 Diploma of the Jury The Tram Was Going, Number Nine Won
Lola Kenya Film Festival 2005 Golden Mboni The Tram Was Going, Number Nine Won
Festival of Nations 2005 Silver Bear The Tram Was Going, Number Nine Won
Ja Ja Ja Festival 2005 2nd Prize The Tram Was Going, Number Nine Won
Madrid International Animated Image Festival 2005 Audience Prize for Best Children Film The Tram Was Going, Number Nine Won
FILMETS Badalona Film Festival 2006 Audience Prize Бійка за печиво Won
Kraków Film Festival 2010 Audience Prize Стати твердим Won

Notes

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  1. ^ Ukrainian: Степа́н Микола́йович Ко́валь

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Сивокінь, Є. Я. Коваль Степан Миколайович (in Ukrainian). Vol. 13. Інститут енциклопедичних досліджень НАН України. ISBN 978-966-02-2074-4.
  2. ^ a b c "Коваль Степан Миколайович - режисер анімаційного кіно | Студия пластилиновой анимации (en)". novatorfilm.com (in Ukrainian). 5 December 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b "КОВАЛЬ Степан Миколайович | Комітет з Національної премії України імені Тараса Шевченка". knpu.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Мультиплікація від «Енея» до «Кохання»". www.golos.com.ua (in Ukrainian). 5 August 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Neplii, Anna (23 April 2023). "Ukrainian Animated Films Come into Their Own". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Коваль, Степан Миколайович". ВУЕ (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Про присудження Національної премії України імені Тараса Шевченка". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Делієв Георгій". LIGA (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  9. ^ ""Срібний ведмідь" українському "Трамваю..." | Українська правда". www.pravda.com.ua. 14 March 2003. Retrieved 10 March 2024.