Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
UNWLA 100
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
inally composed music by Wyn Meyerson, who re searched for the project by listening to a great variety of Ukrainian music — folk, classical, pop and rock from Ukraine. The film was shot in Los Angeles over a period of two years, not only under financial strains but also during the last days of rioting, resulting from the Rod ney King verdict. ’’The means of making the film were pretty painful,” says Ms. Odezynska. She received a start up grant of $17,000 for the project from the National Endowment for the Arts. She was one of a mere eight students asked to come back for a second year at AFI, out of the 28 students who first enrolled in the Master’s program. The stipulation of the start-up grant of $17,000 was that she must raise matching funds. Kodak donated film stock for the project worth about $5,000, the Ukrainian com munity of Los Angeles added much financial support, and Ms. Odezynska also received a Hollywood Foreign Press Scholarship. She also put in at least $25,000 of her own money, much of which came out of savings, loans and earnings from a part-time job. As part of the AFI program, Ms. Odezynska was also assigned Martha Coolidge (Hollywood director of the Oscar-nominated “Rambling Rose”, “Valley Girl”, and others) as a “mentor”, to give her comments and advice on the direction of “Dora”. The cast of “Dora” was composed mostly of union actors, and the crew were volunteers from Hollywood and AFI, who were not paid. The cast was truly multicultural (Hungarian, Greek, So. American, Italian, etc.), resembling the experimental theater group in New York — “Yara”. Nonetheless, Ms. Odezynska says the film is of “broadcast quality,” and “puts Eastern Euro pean culture out in the world, in a more mainstream way.” Because she is a stickler for authenticity, Ms. Odezynska says she went “high and low,” looking for locations appropriate for filming. Some scenes were shot in a real Ukrainian church in Los Angeles (St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church), and the old Ukrainian cen ter, which is located in a relatively unsafe area of town. She even asked some Ukrainian women acquaintances to be extras, and a young Ukrainian girl (Adriana Hirka, from Ridna Shkola in Los Angeles) to play Dora as a youth. A Polish acting couple was hired to play a Ukrainian husband and wife. Perhaps the most incredible result of the two year effort was the fact that Ms. Odezynska became a finalist for nomination for the best short subject film at the Academy Awards. “ Dora” was also accepted at the Los Angeles Women in Film — International Film Festival. Ms. Odezynska even received an offer from a New York distributor — Carousel Films — to distribute the film to public schools and libraries, because the company was so taken by the story-line. The film has a collection of ingredients which give it a unique insight into characters, life and old-world ritu- Grandmother (Barbara Kraft) and young Dora (Adriana Hirka), before throwing the traditional Ivana Kupala wreath into the water. als of Ivana Kupala. The acting is wonderful, especially by Joan Giammarco, whose character portrays every woman’s quest — real love. There is also an amazing attention to detail (in costumes, scenery etc.) which gives the film authenticity and believability. Ms. Odezynska is originally from Philadelphia, but has lived in New York and now in Los Angeles for much of her life. She graduated from Bennington College, and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in Lon don. She directed many off-off Broadway theater pro ductions in New York City, at such theaters as R.A.P.P. and La Mama Experimental Theater. As an artist in resi dence at the Downtown Community Television Center in New York, she directed the documentary “A Window East”. Ms. Odezynska has also directed and co-written three narrative videos, “Roofing”, “The Recruit”, and "Body Parts”, in her first year as a Fellow in Directing at AFI. She is currently writing her first feature film screenplay, set in the East Village in New York, where she hopes to move back someday. In order for this ven ture to become a reality, Ms. Odezynska is looking for an investor to back the film. Ms. Odezynska has been influenced by the works of many filmmakers, one of which, Yurii lllienko from Ukraine, she regards as a “brilliant genius.” Filmmakers in Ukraine, she says, have the talent, but not the resour ces to get themselves out in the world. Unfortunately there aren't many filmmakers of Ukrainian background in the U.S., says Ms. Odezynska — she knows of 10 or 15 involved in film in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. She feels it’s imperative for Ukrainians to get involved in the American media. Of her experience she says: “ I’ve learned a lot and I’ve turned people on to Ukrainian culture." 16 ’НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, БЕРЕЗЕНЬ 1994 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28-29 
30-31 
32-33 
34-35 
36-37 
38-39 
40 
