about
Mila Zhluktenko, born in Kyiv, Ukraine, studied documentary film directing at the University of Television and Film Munich.
Her films have been screened and awarded at numerous international festivals, including Semaine de la Critique in Cannes, IDFA, San Sebastian Film Festival, MoMa DocFortnight and Dok Leipzig, where her film OPERA GLASSES was awarded the Golden Dove. Her film ARALKUM (co-directed with Daniel Asadi Faezi) won the award for best international short film at Visions du Réel in Nyon. Also co-directed with Daniel Asadi Faezi and in cooperation with the Ukrainian collective Babylon’13, Mila Zhluktenko directed the short film WAKING UP IN SILENCE, which was awarded the Jury Special Prize for Best International Shortfilm at Generation KPlus Competition at the 73. Berlinale. The third work of Mila Zhluktenko in codirection with Daniel Asadi Faezi, IN RETROSPECT, was premiered at Berlinale Shorts during the 75. Berlinale. The film resulted from OVEREXPOSED/UNDEREXPOSED an insstallation, that was comissioned by ns doku München and that was exhibited in 2025. Her latest fictional short film CRITICAL CONDITION was premiered at Semaine de la Critique during the 78. Cannes film festival.
In addition, Mila Zhluktenko also works as an editor. She was working on, among others, the feature-length films IRON BUTTERFLIES, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and DEAD GIRLS DANCING, which had a shared premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and the Filmfest Munich in 2023.
Since 2021, Mila Zhluktenko has also been a member of the Munich-based film magazine Revü. And in 2023 she joined Filmfest Munich as a Program Scout.
Her films have been screened and awarded at numerous international festivals, including Semaine de la Critique in Cannes, IDFA, San Sebastian Film Festival, MoMa DocFortnight and Dok Leipzig, where her film OPERA GLASSES was awarded the Golden Dove. Her film ARALKUM (co-directed with Daniel Asadi Faezi) won the award for best international short film at Visions du Réel in Nyon. Also co-directed with Daniel Asadi Faezi and in cooperation with the Ukrainian collective Babylon’13, Mila Zhluktenko directed the short film WAKING UP IN SILENCE, which was awarded the Jury Special Prize for Best International Shortfilm at Generation KPlus Competition at the 73. Berlinale. The third work of Mila Zhluktenko in codirection with Daniel Asadi Faezi, IN RETROSPECT, was premiered at Berlinale Shorts during the 75. Berlinale. The film resulted from OVEREXPOSED/UNDEREXPOSED an insstallation, that was comissioned by ns doku München and that was exhibited in 2025. Her latest fictional short film CRITICAL CONDITION was premiered at Semaine de la Critique during the 78. Cannes film festival.
In addition, Mila Zhluktenko also works as an editor. She was working on, among others, the feature-length films IRON BUTTERFLIES, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and DEAD GIRLS DANCING, which had a shared premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and the Filmfest Munich in 2023.
Since 2021, Mila Zhluktenko has also been a member of the Munich-based film magazine Revü. And in 2023 she joined Filmfest Munich as a Program Scout.
(c) – Sebastian Huber