A Poem for Little People + Q&A with Ivan Sautkin

Ivan Sautkin is a Ukrainian film director and member of the Ukrainian Directors’ Guild. After graduating from the Taras Shevchenko State Art School and the I. K. Karpenko-Kary National Institute of Theatre, Cinema and Television in Kyiv, he continued his studies at the Utrecht State Art Academy in the Netherlands.

His directing career began in 1998 with the documentary film White Ship. Later, I. Sautkin worked on numerous documentaries such as Stronger Than Arms, #Babylon’13, Petlya Nesterova, and Art In The Land of War, which received prestigious awards at international film festivals.

In addition to his work, Sautkin is also active as an artist and art curator. In 2012, he founded an art residency in the village of Zhovid. During its existence, the residence has implemented many different projects: art plein-airs and residencies, art exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, theater performances and educational programs. Many artists from different countries visited the residence. Due to the war, the institution is in a state of conservation.

The director also has extensive experience in advertising, having directed more than 200 Ukrainian and international advertising projects during his career.

Since 2016, Ivan Sautkin has been teaching courses at the Kyiv Academy of Media Arts on directing advertising video clips, working with actors, and the basics of film directing.