Formally, the FreeDocAnimation community began in August 2023 as a Telegram channel and a website of the same name. Early that year, I got very lucky and attended an intensive course on documentary animation by Sonya Gorya. The film I started making back then is still in progress, but I felt a strong need to share my knowledge. So, I dusted off my journalism skills and started writing again.

In reality, though, my interest in documentary animation was born earlier, when the "Rudnik" School of Docanimation was founded (2017). At the time, I was still working in documentary filmmaking, but I already wanted to change careers and went to study animation directing. Docanimation seemed to me then—and still does today—like the perfect field for me.

I have three documentary animation films under my belt (one was created this year, 2026, when I finally got accepted into the "Rudnik" School of Docanimation, and I have a wonderful story about grit and hard work to share about that). But perhaps my mission lies not in making films, but in telling people what docanimation actually is. What forms it takes. Why creators turn to it. And where to watch it.

Join in. TThis channel will feature reruns (translated into English) of past but still relevant pieces, and, of course, new reviews and interviews.

Plus, this is exactly where I will publish a series of posts on film festival promotion (with a focus on independent zero- or low-budget cinema). Everything will be open access, but I would be immensely grateful if you choose to support me with a donation (either one-time or via subscription).