V. Mansky (Vitaly Manskiy) was born in 1963 in Lviv, Ukraine (at that time, the Ukrainian SSR). He graduated from VGIK (the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography) in 1989 and has become one of the most prominent contemporary documentary filmmakers and producers. He has directed more than 30 films that have been screened at nearly every major festival worldwide and has received over 100 international awards. In 2007, he founded and became the president of the International Festival of Creative Documentary Films "Artdocfest" in Russia. Its operation was suspended in 2022 due to the prevailing censorship and the invasion of Ukraine. He is currently being persecuted by Russian authorities for expressing his civic stance. In 2020, he founded and became the president of the International Documentary Film Festival "Artdocfest/Riga" in Latvia, having emigrated from Russia in 2014. Member of the American Film Academy (Oscar). www.manski-doc.com