Marina Goldovskaya's films change how we see the world. In the great tradition of Russian documentary film making, she shows the grand themes inherent in small things and captures the rise and fall of Russian democracy through the eyes of ordinary people. 

An inspiring teacher, she encourages her students to create works based on their own experiential basis, and they can choose any topic they like. We were able to see a selection of her students' work during last year's SPARK. This year we are happy to welcome Professor Goldovskaya in person!

The first woman in Russia (and possibly the world) to combine being a director, writer, cinematographer and producer, Goldovskaya has made over thirty documentary films and more than one hundred programmes for Russian, European, Japanese, and American television. 

Her work, which includes the award-winning films The House on Arbat Street, The Shattered Mirror, and Solovky Power, has garnered international acclaim and won virtually every prize given for documentary film making. Born in Russia, she earned her Bachelor of Arts, masters and doctorate degrees at Moscow State Film School (VGIK). 

Her autobiography, A Woman with a Movie Camera: My Life as a Russian Film Maker, was published in the USA, 2006.