Evgeny Afineevsky
- Producer
- Director
- Cinematographer
Evgeny Afineevsky is an Oscar and Emmy-nominated director. In 2023 he released his new headline-breaking documentary "Freedom on Fire: Ukraine's fight for freedom", which premiered at 79th Venice Film Festival, where it was recognized with the Kineo Award, as well at Toronto International Film Festival and many other prestige's festivals. Freedom on Fire also received Brizzolara Family Foundation Award for Films of Conflict & Resolution (Hamptons), the Power of Cinema Award (Mill Valley), as well as SCAD's Inaugural Daring Documentarian Award. Movie been nominated for a Critics Choice Documentary Award in the Best Political Documentary category as well earned 3 Emmy nominations. In February 22-24, 2023 Evgeny presented to the world a newly edited and updated comprehensive version of the movie, outlining all 9 years of the war and one full year of the full-scale invasion. In June 2023 Cinema for Peace Awarded His Holiness Pope Francis, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky at the Vatican with the special joint award. This is the first time that two global leaders and one filmmaker were honored with a joint award and that the awards are dedicated to someone - the children who lost their lives in the war in Ukraine.
In 2020 Catholics in Media Associates awarded Afineevsky with 2020 CIMA Social Justice Award for his passion for telling stories that matter, his love for humanity and work for justice. Same 2020 despite the pandemic, Afineevsky premiered in person his headline making movie "Francesco" at the Rome International Film Festival, where he immediately been recognized by the prestigious Kineo Award. "Francesco" was his personal journey alongside Pope Francis on his inspirational on-going mission in these dark days for humanity, to unite the people of the world through acts of love and kindness, going beyond religious barriers. This feature film is a "call for action" and a message of hope, humanity, compassion, unity and redemption inside the darkness of our times.
His award-winning documentary, "Cries from Syria", was an Official Selection at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Afineevsky won Best Director and earned nomination for Best Documentary from the Critics' Choice Documentary Awards. He and his film earned IPA Satellite Awards nominations for Best Documentary and Best Song in a Documentary for "Prayers for this world", performed by Cher. The Awards Circuit Community Awards nominated his movie as Best Documentary Feature for 2017. He won International Documentary Association's Courage Under Fire Award, earned a PGA Award nomination, won a Humanitas Prize and Cinema for Peace Awards as Most Valuable Documentary of the Year, won 32nd Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, Documentaries Without Borders Film Festival and 51st Houston WorldFest Film Festival, as well as the Overseas Press Club's Peter Jennings Award. Recently Afineevsky and his movie "Cries from Syria" earned 4 Emmy nominations.
Evgeny built his filmmaking career on providing a first-hand account of conflict, even if it means putting his own life in danger. He earned an Oscar and Emmy nomination in 2016 for "Winter on Fire: Ukraine's fight for freedom", which details the 2013 student uprising that transformed into a violent revolution. "Winter on Fire" was an Official Selection of the Venice and Telluride International film festivals. He won the People's Choice Award for the Best Documentary from the Toronto International Film Festival and received Television Academy Honors Award.
He wrote and directed the 2009 family comedy starring Lainie Kazan, "Oy Vey! My son is gay!!" (2009), for which he won more than 23 international film awards. He also wrote and directed "Divorce: A journey through the kids' eyes"(2014), which provides an educational look at the different situations the children of divorced parents deal with. His work in feature films include producing a modern-day adaptation of Dostoyevsky's classic novel "Crime and Punishment"(2002), which stars Crispin Glover, Vanessa Redgrave, John Hurt, and Margot Kidder; "Open Heart"(2002); and "Death Game"2001), starring Billy Drago and Joe Lara. All three films went on to win accolades from the Houston WorldFest.
From 1994-2000, he produced more than 30 musicals in Israel, including BAT (DIE FLEDERMAUS), GYPSY BARON, VIENNESE BLOOD, NIGHT IN VENICE, SILVA PRINCESS OF CHARDAS, MOZART KONZERTE (with the Prague National Opera Orchestra), among many others. He also directed the Israeli TV series "Day of Love" in 1999.
Afineevsky resides in Los Angeles and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Directors Guild of America, European Film Academy and Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. He is also RSA Fellow (The Royal Society for Arts in UK).
In 2020 Catholics in Media Associates awarded Afineevsky with 2020 CIMA Social Justice Award for his passion for telling stories that matter, his love for humanity and work for justice. Same 2020 despite the pandemic, Afineevsky premiered in person his headline making movie "Francesco" at the Rome International Film Festival, where he immediately been recognized by the prestigious Kineo Award. "Francesco" was his personal journey alongside Pope Francis on his inspirational on-going mission in these dark days for humanity, to unite the people of the world through acts of love and kindness, going beyond religious barriers. This feature film is a "call for action" and a message of hope, humanity, compassion, unity and redemption inside the darkness of our times.
His award-winning documentary, "Cries from Syria", was an Official Selection at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Afineevsky won Best Director and earned nomination for Best Documentary from the Critics' Choice Documentary Awards. He and his film earned IPA Satellite Awards nominations for Best Documentary and Best Song in a Documentary for "Prayers for this world", performed by Cher. The Awards Circuit Community Awards nominated his movie as Best Documentary Feature for 2017. He won International Documentary Association's Courage Under Fire Award, earned a PGA Award nomination, won a Humanitas Prize and Cinema for Peace Awards as Most Valuable Documentary of the Year, won 32nd Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, Documentaries Without Borders Film Festival and 51st Houston WorldFest Film Festival, as well as the Overseas Press Club's Peter Jennings Award. Recently Afineevsky and his movie "Cries from Syria" earned 4 Emmy nominations.
Evgeny built his filmmaking career on providing a first-hand account of conflict, even if it means putting his own life in danger. He earned an Oscar and Emmy nomination in 2016 for "Winter on Fire: Ukraine's fight for freedom", which details the 2013 student uprising that transformed into a violent revolution. "Winter on Fire" was an Official Selection of the Venice and Telluride International film festivals. He won the People's Choice Award for the Best Documentary from the Toronto International Film Festival and received Television Academy Honors Award.
He wrote and directed the 2009 family comedy starring Lainie Kazan, "Oy Vey! My son is gay!!" (2009), for which he won more than 23 international film awards. He also wrote and directed "Divorce: A journey through the kids' eyes"(2014), which provides an educational look at the different situations the children of divorced parents deal with. His work in feature films include producing a modern-day adaptation of Dostoyevsky's classic novel "Crime and Punishment"(2002), which stars Crispin Glover, Vanessa Redgrave, John Hurt, and Margot Kidder; "Open Heart"(2002); and "Death Game"2001), starring Billy Drago and Joe Lara. All three films went on to win accolades from the Houston WorldFest.
From 1994-2000, he produced more than 30 musicals in Israel, including BAT (DIE FLEDERMAUS), GYPSY BARON, VIENNESE BLOOD, NIGHT IN VENICE, SILVA PRINCESS OF CHARDAS, MOZART KONZERTE (with the Prague National Opera Orchestra), among many others. He also directed the Israeli TV series "Day of Love" in 1999.
Afineevsky resides in Los Angeles and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Directors Guild of America, European Film Academy and Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. He is also RSA Fellow (The Royal Society for Arts in UK).
