RENATA DZHALO

Renata Dzhalo is a Russian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. She was born on August 26, 1997 in St. Petersburg. She holds citizenship in both Russia and Guinea-Bissau. She graduated from VGIK, studying in an experimental workshop of documentary and feature filmmaking under the guidance of Alexei Uchitel. This workshop combined the principles of documentary and feature cinema, which is deeply evident in Renata's works. During her studies, Renata directed the play "Vite Needs to Leave" in 2019, which was showcased at the Doc Theatre 8/3, the School of Modern Drama, and was a participant in the VGIK Film Festival. In 2019, Renata made her debut with the short documentary film "Skype", dedicated to the theme of staying connected with loved ones over long distances. The film was part of the "Sreda" program at the Artdocfest festival. Renata also directed the documentary film "Lyonya" about composer Leonid Desyatnikov. The film received a jury diploma at the Message to Man International Film Festival for "its musicality, which elevated us above the everyday." In 2023, her first feature-length film, "On This Land", was presented in the Bright Future program at the 54th Rotterdam International Film Festival, which focuses on promising young filmmakers. The film, set in the late 18th century, intertwines multiple storylines, including the tale of a runaway peasant striving to create a flying machine. The festival journey of "On This Land" is still ongoing.

“A quote placeholder — something precise, quiet, and slightly unsettling.”