Anastasiya Mykhaylova

With a rare fusion of production design expertise and directorial vision, this dynamic filmmaker transforms the screen into a portal of the extraordinary. Anastasiya Mykhaylova is a visionary artist whose multidisciplinary roots allow her to craft deeply immersive, emotionally charged cinematic experiences rooted in magical realism and metaphysical space.

Her journey began with a passion for painting and photography, leading to a natural gravitation toward production design during film school. As a director and designer, she creates environments as emotional extensions of identity—spaces that breathe, grieve, and whisper. Her acclaimed debut short, Made From Leakproof Plastic, explored grief through a leaking fridge, earning praise for its poetic symbolism and personal resonance. Shot in Toronto, it was a tribute to her Ukrainian heritage and a deeply moving homage to her late grandfather.

Anastasiya’s portfolio includes collaborations on Praeis (Cannes), Saving Art (Slamdance, Palm Springs ShortFest), The Bull (Tallinn Black Nights), and Sparare Alle Angurie, a festival sensation nominated for BAFTA Yugo and BSC Awards. These projects reflect her deep creative bonds with trusted collaborators like Patrick Verlin, Antonio Donato, Tamás A. Méder, and Anna Abdullaeva—forming what she calls her “creative family.”

Her work blends fantasy, folklore, and cultural identity, drawing from her Ukrainian roots and experiences as an immigrant in England and Canada. Fascinated by language, accents, and stories of outsiders, she aims to reflect a more honest and global cinematic voice.

In 2025, she and Verlin will launch Courageous Donuts, a production company championing bold, character-driven films that challenge convention and elevate emerging voices.

From rustic Flemish barns to haunting, magical homes, Anastasiya Mykhaylova doesn’t just build sets—she builds worlds. And through these worlds, she invites us to feel, reflect, and believe in the magic that lingers in the everyday.

Her artistic voice is both tender and fearless, illuminating the hidden layers of human experience. As Anastasiya Mykhaylova steps into this exciting new chapter, she remains devoted to crafting stories that awaken wonder, vulnerability, and a sense of shared humanity.