THE NOOSE

Niko Mara (Mykola Ziablov) is a Ukrainian director and cinematographer working at the intersection of auteur cinema and commercial videography. Born on November 29, 1990, in Kherson, he began his career in photography before moving into video production, creating music videos and commercials. Without formal film education, he gained knowledge through professional courses and self-study. In 2025, he completed his debut short film "Petlya," exploring psychological trauma and the boundary between reality and memories.

Oleksandr VOLOSHYN an entrepreneur from Kyiv. He spent his childhood in the city of Zviahel in Polissia, where he was inspired by the picturesque nature and the atmosphere of Lesia Ukrainka’s works, as she was born and lived there for some time.

He made his debut as a director and screenwriter with the short film “The Noose”, a psychological drama. The film portrays the protagonist’s journey of healing through an encounter with the shadow of the past. A ghost brings her consciousness back to childhood trauma and the pain of loss, which she ultimately releases.

In 2013, he graduated from the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. Since childhood, he has been passionate about music, studied at a music school, and participated in creative ensembles of informal genres. He is interested in ethnic instruments and singing. He plays several musical instruments, including bass guitar, guitar, various percussion instruments, drums, sopilka, jaw harp, dvodenstivka, duduk, keyboard instruments, and more.

He is also passionate about cinema in various genres and styles and plans to develop creative cinematographic projects in the future.