Odesa Film Studio (Ukrainian: Одеська кіностудія художніх фільмів, Russian: Одесская киностудия художественных фильмов) is a Ukrainian, formerly Soviet, film studio in Odesa. Founded in 1919, it was one of the first studios in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.
It is partially owned by the government and supervised by the State Property Fund of Ukraine and the Ministry of Culture. Together with Dovzhenko Film Studios, they are the only state-owned and major film producers in the country. The studio is located at Frantsuzky bulvar 33 (33 French Boulevard), Odesa, Ukraine. In a close vicinity to it is located a smaller film studio House of Mask.[1]
History and reorganization
It was founded on 23 May 1919 by the decision of the Odesa Governorate Executive Committee, Ukrainian SSR out of the remnants of cinema studios of Myron Grossman, Dmitriy Kharitonov, and Borisov. This date was the day of birth of the first in the country state film studio. At first, it was listed as "Political film section of political department and of 41st Division of the Red Army", and the first feature film filmed here was the "Spiders and flies." The original studios went into decline after the Russian Civil War and the Ukrainian War of Independence, as their owners emigrated, running from political prosecution. Grossman's film studio "Myrograph" existed in Odesa since 1907 and was the oldest one recorded in Ukraine.
In 1922, "film sektion" was reorganized into Odesa Film Factory of All-Ukrainian Photo Cinema Administration (VUFKU). The Odesa film studio, which was VUFKU’s main production facility, underwent extensive renovations. The studio purchased its new modern equipment in the West, allowing the studio to shoot, light, and process the film stock using state-of-the-art technology. In 1926, Vyacheslav Levandovskyi and Deviatkin created an animation studio of VUFKU.
In 1930, VUFKU was reorganized into "Ukrainafilm" of "Soyuzkino" (Union-cinema).[2]
In 1955, the Odesa Film Studio resumed its own film production. Director Alexander Gorky not only obtained permission to revive the studio, but also solved the personnel problem by inviting VGIK graduates — directors, cameramen, artists, and economists. Then the former students, who usually went for years as assistants, quickly got independent work. On November 26, 1956, the film by Felix Mironer and Marlen Khutsiev “Spring on Zarechnaya Street” was released, which became a significant event not only for the studio, but for the entire Soviet cinema.
In 2005, Odesa film studio was reorganized to a Close Joint Stock Company (with the government owning the majority of shares).
Description
Commemorative coin Odesa Film StudioAnniversary stamp dedicated to the Odesa Film Studio
The studio is located in the downtown right near the shore of Black Sea covering some 7 hectares (17 acres) and consisting of three pavilions of 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft), 432 square metres (4,650 sq ft), and 240 square metres (2,600 sq ft). Inside the studio's building is located another film studio, Vira Kholodna Film Studio and the Odesa Film School. The Odesa Film Studio has its own movie theater, U-Cinema, which is also located in the same building.
On the territory of the studio there is a Museum of the Cinema, in which you can find out about many interesting facts on the history of the cinema. Here you can find historic materials, from the invention of cinema, to the postmodern, digital and avant garde.
In 2019, the National Bank of Ukraine issued a commemorative coin 100 years Odesa Film Studio[3]
In addition, the main Ukraine post service issued a special anniversary stamp dedicated to the Odesa film studio.
Cinema Museum
On the territory of the Odesa film studio there is a cinema museum of the Odesa branch of the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine. The museum stores materials collected over the years of the existence of the Odesa Film Studio, film catalogs, photo albums of acting tests, information about directors and producers, film equipment, books, newspapers, film magazines, etc. In total, more than twelve thousand “storage units”.[4]
