Paul Wolansky

Paul Wolansky is an Associate Professor at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, specializing in screenwriting, documentary production, and myth-based storytelling. His academic career is deeply intertwined with Ukrainian historical narratives and cultural preservation through cinema.

• Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University
• Teaching focus: Directing and Screenwriting

His research spans Ukrainian historical epics, Soviet-era trauma documentation, and hybrid narrative-documentary formats. Notable themes include:

• Stalinist atrocities (Holodomor, Gulag)
• Ukrainian national mythology
• War-time cultural resistance
• Cinematic truth-telling and emotional authenticity

Recent creative works include:

• Co-writer of Dovbush: Lord of Black Mountain (2023), Ukraine’s #1 box office hit during Russia’s invasion
• Co-writer/director of The Guide (2014/2022), Ukraine’s most successful film ever
• Co-creator of DETY? (2024), Mariupol bombing commemoration

Scientific recognition includes:

• Honorary Member, Ukrainian Academy of Motion Pictures
• Golden Dzyga Awards for Best Picture and Best Screenplay
• Kinokolo nominations for cinematic excellence

His films have been screened for Ukrainian troops as morale-building tools and at international festivals including Odesa, Warsaw, and Palm Springs. Academic collaborations include work with Oscar-winning director Mark Jonathan Harris on Breaking Point and The Defector, which predicted Russian aggression in Ukraine.