Biography

Gotham Award-Winning Director Roxy Toporowych specializes in authentic, slice of life, character-driven stories. Her films often center on female protagonists at pivotal moments in their lives, while weaving in world events. Her work can sit between art house and commercial, with international co-production experience. She is an NYU Tisch alumni, IFP Narrative Lab Directing Fellow, winner of the IFP/Gotham Award for Emerging Directors, a Fulbright Scholar partnered with Dovzhenko Studios in Kyiv and a fellow of the American Film Institute (AFI DWW+ 2024).

Her narrative feature debut, Julia Blue, a love story between an aspiring photojournalist and a soldier haunted by war, was produced internationally.

Julia Blue was an official selection at the Seattle International Film Festival and the Cleveland International Film Festival and won Best Film awards at the Julien Dubuque and Female Eye Film Festivals.

Roxy won the Special Jury Prize for Best Director in World Cinema at the Woodstock Film Festival and the Best Director Award at the Sonoma International Film Festival. The film was named one of the top ten films about Ukraine by The Guardian.

Ukrainian Dance Movie, premiered at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival and won the Best Short Film Award at the inaugural Colofilm Festival in January 2025. Roxy is also a co-host of the podcast, Reel Ukraine.

Julia Blue was distributed by Megogo and Giant Pictures. It is available to stream on Amazon & Apple TV+ and was named one of the top ten best films about Ukraine by The Guardian UK.

Previously, Roxy directed the dance documentary feature Folk! (HotDocs/East Silver Markets) and the comedy web series 2nd and 9th. She also created the show Awkward Dance Party for the Tribeca Film Festival.
- IMDb mini biography by: author