Published on 03 February 2026
My path in media began in 2008 at the Belarusfilm studio. With a Master’s degree in Screen Arts, I spent years working in film production and later shared this experience as a lecturer at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts. The political crisis of 2020 became a turning point for me. After being arrested for 14 days and subsequently dismissed from the Academy for political reasons, I decided to apply my production skills to independent media.
I joined the ChinChinChannel team as an executive producer because I saw how vital humor and satire are for people in times of crisis. We process current events through the prism of comedy to show that the authorities are just people who make mistakes – and many of them! By deconstructing the image of the “infallible” official, we help our audience laugh at the problems instead of being paralysed by them. This therapeutic effect of our work is what continues to motivate me today.
The journey since 2021 has been a series of forced relocations – first to Lviv, Ukraine, where we witnessed the outbreak of the war, and then to Poland and finally to Berlin. These moves were a major test for our team’s stability. Despite the Belarusian authorities labeling our projects as extremist, we have managed to adapt. We are now focusing on shorter, faster content to engage with younger audiences. This is crucial because young people today are targeted by state propaganda perhaps more than ever before, and we want to provide them with an alternative perspective that encourages a more critical view of the authorities.
Living in Berlin has been a great source of inspiration for me. It is here that I found a wonderful community, gained many new friends, and met the colleagues with whom I co-founded LookByMedia. This photo agency provides verified, authentic news visuals for independent Belarusian media. In an era where AI-generated fakes are common, providing honest visual documentation of reality is a priority for our team.
My current focus is on helping these projects grow and reach a wider audience both inside and outside Belarus. While I am currently building a new life in Germany, adapting to a completely new reality and navigating the complexities of legalizing a media entity, my work remains deeply connected to my home. By supporting freedom of speech from abroad, I look forward to the day when I can finally return to a free and happier Belarus.
Photo: Dzmitry Brushko
