Oksana Chefranova

Oksana Chefranova serves as an Associate Research Scholar in Film and Media Studies at Yale University, where she teaches core curriculum courses including Close Analysis of Film. Holding a Ph.D. in Cinema Studies from New York University with distinction, her research examines early cinema through interdisciplinary lenses connecting built environments, camera movement, and contemporary visual culture. Her scholarly work bridges historical film practices with modern media theory, focusing particularly on Russian silent cinema and its intersections with architecture and new media.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Cinema Studies, New York University (Awarded Distinction)
• M.A. in Cinema Studies, New York University
• B.A. and M.A. in History of Art, Moscow State University

Chefranova's research explores silent cinema circa 1900, built environments as epistemic tools for understanding modernity, media archaeology, experimental film practices, and cinema's evolution within gallery spaces and new media contexts. Her work demonstrates how early cinematic techniques inform contemporary visual culture while analyzing the philosophical dimensions of atmosphere and corporeality in film. Current projects investigate the relationship between physical spaces and cinematic representation across historical periods.

Her recent publications analyze Russian silent film aesthetics and the materiality of media surfaces, contributing to broader scholarly conversations about ephemerality in visual culture and the corporeal dimensions of early cinema. These works establish connections between historical film techniques and contemporary media practices through rigorous archival research.

Her scholarly recognition includes:

• Jay Leyda Prize for excellence and originality of research (dissertation on Evgenii Bauer)
• Andrew Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship (SSRC)
• Torch Fellowship from NYU

Chefranova's book project 'From Garden to Kino' received major fellowship support while her teaching spans American avant-garde film, Surrealism, and international silent cinema at both NYU and Yale. Her curatorial practice actively engages with historical and contemporary cinema through initiatives like Yale's Russian Film Series, focusing particularly on international women filmmakers and cinema's expansion within new media environments. This dual academic-curatorial approach creates dynamic connections between scholarly research and public film culture.