OUR MISSION
We are film activists and creatives working under Expressive Technology Coalition, a 501(c)3 non-profit in Southern California, dedicated to supporting media production and equal access to technology for underserved communities.
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We share a common goal: to make a difference through storytelling and increase awareness of the struggles that people face due to conflict and displacement. 99% of our cast and crew are war refugees who fled the violence in Ukraine.
OUR VALUES
Human Connection
We are committed to delivering quality production and creating stories with visual and emotional impact. We believe that by capturing the human experience, we can create a connection between our audiences and the people in our films.
Social Responsibility
We are committed to social responsibility and the individual's human rights. We believe it is our duty as filmmakers to use our platform to contribute awareness that might bring positive change.
Writer, Director & Executive Producer
Mimi began her filmmaking journey directing self-taught Super 8mm films before studying cinematography and editing. Inspired by her family's experiences on opposing sides of the Vietnam War, she is writing a novel about this story and was a 2020 nominee for the Allegra Johnson Award for Novelist through the UCLA Extension Writers' Program.
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Her project, CHILDREN OF WAR, reached Finalist for the 2023 Carole Dorothy Joyce Grant. In 2024, it advanced to the Top 15 for Outstanding Screenplays and Shore Scripts, and placed Semifinalist in the Screencraft competition. It advanced to Quarterfinalist in Stowe Story Labs and Final Draft’s Big Break contest, competing against over 10,000 entries. The script reached #1 on Coverfly’s Red List for Thriller Short multiple times and remains in the Top 1% of all projects on the platform.
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While working with refugees and marginalized communities at a Women’s Business Center, she fundraised and managed programs that won economic development grants from foundations, federal agencies, and corporate sponsors. Mimi studied feature and television writing at UCLA Extension and earned a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. She advocates for women, children, refugees, and disability rights.
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In addition to developing Children of War, Mimi just completed production for DELTA RISING, a proof of concept for a television series. ​​​
Director of Photography ​
Alex survived the ongoing war in Ukraine, documenting and witnessing firsthand the violence and destruction in his country. Considered by colleagues as one of the Top Five cinematographers in Ukraine, Alex has won multiple, national awards in Ukraine for Best Director of Photography, including the Teletriumph award for the mini-series THE SPECIAL DISPATCH. His work stands out for its inventive approach to storytelling, marked by a mastery of lighting and composition that captures natural emotions.
Alex began his career in 1999 while still a sophomore at university in Ukraine. While working at a TV station, he honed his skills with the camera, optics, and lighting. He quickly gained experience as he traveled the world filming the reality show Crossing Europe. Through his lens, viewers explored the beauty of Paris, the exotic nature of Thailand, and the deserts of Africa.
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At the age of 24, Alex shot his first feature film, Restless Days, as a Director of Photography. This marked the beginning of his work on numerous feature films, where his unique approach to mise-en-scène and lighting set him apart.​ Since 2010, Alex has expanded his expertise to include directing music videos and TV commercials. Between projects, Alex taught cinematography at the Ukrainian Film School, affiliated with FILM.UA, the largest film studio in Eastern Europe.
At the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, Alex transitioned into the role of military journalist, capturing the raw realities of conflict. His cinematography for the documentary, ART IN WAR, features an exclusive interview with Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine. Other films he contributed to during this period remain classified as the war intensified, reflecting the heightened stakes and sensitivity of his work.
Alex's distinctive cinematographic style blends artistic vision with technical precision, creating visually dynamic frames that convey mood and narrative with remarkable clarity. With twenty years of experience in feature films and TV movies, combined with his firsthand accounts of documenting the war in Ukraine, he will elevate our project to an entirely new level.
Consulting Producer
Anastasiia is a journalist, actress, and humanitarian filmmaker currently based in Los Angeles. When missile attacks intensified and Kyiv was surrounded, escape became nearly impossible. She couldn’t imagine surviving under Russian occupation without food or water, as had happened in Bucha and Irpin. With her partner and beloved dog, she made the difficult decision to flee, carrying only two emergency bags and a few essentials as they crossed into Poland.
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While seeking refuge, Anastasiia endured weeks of uncertainty, not knowing whether her parents had survived after her hometown, Kherson, was left without electricity, water, or communication—its infrastructure completely destroyed.
Now, Anastasiia is focused on expanding the production of her feature documentary MARIUPOL SURVIVORS, which won Best International Film at the Santa Fe Film Festival in 2023 and was an official selection of the Los Angeles Independent Women Film Awards.
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With lived experience and commitment to truth, Anastasiia brings invaluable insight and emotional clarity to illuminate the ongoing human cost of the war in Ukraine.
Tetiana Klymenko
First Assistant Director
Tetiana fled Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion after witnessing many film colleagues killed on the frontlines. Tetiana is a highly skilled production manager with extensive experience in film, television, and digital content production. With a background in finance from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, she has worked across feature films, documentaries, TV series, commercials, and YouTube projects.
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Tetiana has collaborated with both Ukrainian and international productions, successfully managing pre-production, budgeting, logistics, and on-set coordination. She played a key role in organizing major industry events, such as the Kyiv International Film Festival pitching platform, and represented Ukraine at Berlinale, Cannes, and Karlovy Vary film festivals.
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Now based in Los Angeles, Tetiana continues to bring her expertise in film production management to global projects, seamlessly integrating Ukrainian efficiency with American industry standards.
Costumes / Production Designer
Anna is a couture dress designer from Dnipro, Ukraine. In 2014 during the occupation of Crimea, she volunteered for the Burn Unit at a military hospital and was attached to the 74th Intelligence Battalion. In 2022 within three hours of the first bombing, she packed two bags, gathered her two children and a stroller, and began a grueling three-day journey to the Polish border. Despite recovering from a recent surgery, she endured the trip without food or sleep, carrying immense trauma from the experience. After a month in Poland, she refuged to Miami and eventually resettled in Los Angeles.
Fashion has been Anna's passion since childhood. She began designing costumes for dolls, then for movie heroines, later for herself, and eventually for fashion shows and her daughter. In 2021, Anna debuted her couture dresses at Odessa Fashion week in Ukraine. Her work has earned significant recognition in the fashion industry, including being a finalist at the British Art Festival in 2022 and a Top 10 finalist at the Fashion and Film Awards in Russia in 2020 before the invasion.
​Her creative journey has evolved into a multifaceted career that includes managing child actors. She crafts images for their headshots and profiles, helping them discover roles they can embody. She continues designing dresses under her label, Pannacouture. Her designs are a fusion of artistry and heritage, reviving the beauty of Ukrainian traditions.
Second Assistant Director
Born and raised in Kyiv, Timur graduated as a cadet from the elite Ivan Bohun Military Academy. He lived through the invasion and annexation of Crimea, a defining experience that continues to shape his outlook and insights. After pursuing college in the U.S., he made his way to Los Angeles, where he now works as an actor and filmmaker, leading projects from development through post-production. His lived experience and deep connection to Ukraine bring depth and heart to our project.
Associate Producer
Erken is from Kazakhstan and he began his journey in martial arts at a professional level, competing in numerous tournaments. In 1994, he moved to the United States, where he transitioned into the film industry, initially working as an actor and martial arts choreographer. Determined to expand his expertise, he pursued filmmaking and production at the New York Film Academy.
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Erken’s documentary WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL received critical acclaim, winning Outstanding Documentary Feature at the 2019 Tallgrass International Film Festival and earning six nominations for Best Documentary at prestigious festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival.
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In addition to documentary filmmaking, Erken has produced a range of action-adventure features, including Lost Warrior: Left Behind, Beyond the Game, Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate, and Hell Hath No Fury, a World War II film. His work continues to blend dynamic storytelling with high-impact action, showcasing his deep-rooted passion for both cinema and martial arts.
Special Effects & Stunt Supervisor
Chris is an Emmy-nominated Special Effects artist who has contributed to Academy Award-winning films such as RAY and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END. Other notable projects he worked on include First They Killed My Father, Journeyman, SEAL Team, CSI, Zero Zero Zero, The Sum of All Fears.
Leading a team specializing in atmospheric effects, underwater and custom rigging, pyrotechnics, and precision projectile work, he brings ambitious cinematic visions to life.​From inverting ships and flipping trucks end-over-end to igniting rivers, demolishing buildings, and orchestrating daring rescues, Chris has mastered the art of high-impact spectacle. With over 250 credits and a combined box office gross of $3.73 billion, his expertise and passion for movie magic elevate both international blockbusters and indie productions alike.
Katherine Nilsen
Production Manager/Co-Producer
Katherine is from Whidbey Island, Washington. She is a digital artist/painter who dons various roles on set, ranging from video editor to producer and set dresser. She kickstarted her editorial career as an apprentice to documentary filmmaker Kristy Guevara-Flanagan at UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television.
Katherine holds Associate degrees in Film Studies, Film & Television Production, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. She founded the non-profit Expressive Technology Coalition (ETC), dedicated to supporting media production and equal access to technology for underserved communities.
