The 2018 documentary Putin's Witnesses brought Vitaly Mansky international attention for its examination of early political shifts in Russia. Born in 1963 in Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, Mansky built a career as a filmmaker, screenwriter, and cinematographer. His work frequently centers on the intersections of personal lives and the broader political realities within the former Soviet states.
Professional Background
Mansky received his formal education at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. Throughout his career, he has worked as a film director, producer, and camera operator. Beyond his own creative output, he founded ArtDocFest, a documentary film festival that eventually collaborated with the Riga International Film Festival. He possesses citizenship in Russia, Latvia, and the former Soviet Union, and he has maintained a residence in Riga since 2014.
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His filmography includes a wide range of projects, beginning with works like Yevreyskoe Schaste in 1991 and Srezki Ocherednoy Voyny in 1993. Over the following decades, he directed titles including Etyudy o Lyubvi, Anatomy of t.A.T.u., Gagarin's Pioneers, and Pipeline. More recent contributions include the 2015 production Under the Sun, the 2016 film Close Relations, the 2020 documentary Gorbachev. Heaven, and the 2022 television series Vladimir & Oksana in Love Country.
Political Engagement
Mansky has engaged in several public political acts. In 2014, he signed a letter supporting Ukrainian filmmakers following the annexation of Crimea. By 2018, he supported an appeal from the European Film Academy for the release of Oleg Sentsov. In December 2020, he held a solitary protest at Lubyanka Square involving underpants following reports of an incident involving Alexei Navalny. After speaking against the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Justice added him to its list of foreign agents in June 2023.
Fast facts
- Born: 1963, Lviv
- Education: Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography
- Residency: Riga, since 2014
- Citizenship: Russia, Latvia, Soviet Union
- Notable Work: Putin's Witnesses
- Founder: ArtDocFest
Questions readers ask
Where is Vitaly Mansky based?
He has resided in Riga, Latvia, since 2014.
What is ArtDocFest?
It is a documentary film festival founded by Mansky that has collaborated with the Riga International Film Festival.
Achievements
- Notable work: Putin's Witnesses
- Worked as film director, screenwriter and cinematographer