Viktoriia Lapushkina Gains International Recognition as 'Pickup' Debuts at Slamdance Film Festival

In today’s film industry, where collaboration is more important than ever, a new generation of filmmakers is emerging with global perspectives and diverse professional backgrounds. Among them is Viktoriia Lapushkina, a screenwriter, director, and producer whose career reflects both creative ambition and an international outlook.

Viktoriia began her professional journey in marketing before transitioning into the film industry. She studied International Economic Relations at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and later earned a Master of Science in Marketing from Suffolk University in Boston. Her experience studying and working in both Russia and the United States helped shape her understanding of international markets, audiences, and professional cultures.

Even before entering the film industry professionally, storytelling was part of Viktoriia’s life. While studying at school and later at Plekhanov University, she wrote comedy sketches and scripts for KVN teams, a long-running comedy competition popular across Eastern Europe.

Before fully dedicating herself to filmmaking, Viktoriia worked in brand management and market research, including roles with companies such as L’Oréal Group and consulting work connected to brands like Bose and iRobot in Boston. While marketing provided valuable insights into storytelling, communication, and global audiences, Viktoriia ultimately felt drawn to creative storytelling through cinema.

Three years ago, she decided to pivot her career and pursue filmmaking professionally, enrolling at the Moscow Film School to study filmmaking and screenwriting. Her debut short comedy ‘Second Chance’ had a successful international festival run before reaching a wider audience when it was later released on Kinopoisk, one of the country’s leading VOD platforms.

Her latest project, the short film Pickup, continues that international trajectory. The film recently premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival, one of the most respected independent film festivals in the United States, where it received an Honorable Mention. During the festival, the Pickup team stood out for its unconventional and creative approach to promotion, drawing on Viktoriia’s background in marketing. Deeply valuing every team member, they even brought cardboard cutouts of cast members who couldn’t attend, making sure everyone was part of the moment.

The film’s festival journey is continuing in Europe as well, as Pickup was recently selected for one of the leading European festivals, which will be announced soon.

For Viktoriia, international collaboration remains central to her creative vision. Having studied and worked in different countries, she believes cinema has the unique ability to connect people from different cultures and build lasting creative partnerships and friendships.

As she continues developing new film and television projects and expanding her presence in the international festival circuit, Viktoriia Lapushkina is steadily establishing herself as a promising new voice in global filmmaking.