Kyiv National University of Theater, Cinema and Television

Kyiv National University of Theater, Cinema and Television (Київський національний університет театру, кіно і телебачення ім. І. Карпенка-Карого; Kyivskyi natsionalnyi universytet teatru, kino i telebachennia im. I. Karpenka-Karoho). An institution of higher learning in Kyiv. It was formed in 1934 as Kyiv State Theater Institute out of the drama faculty of the Lysenko Music and Drama Institute, which was abolished. In 1934–41 the institute had two acting departments: a Ukrainian and a Jewish one. It did not operate in 1941–4 and its functions were assumed in 1941–2 by the Music and Drama Conservatory under the direction of Ostap Lysenko. When the institute was reopened in 1945, the Jewish department was replaced by a Russian one. The institute was renamed Kyiv Institute of Theater Arts and named in honour of Ivan Karpenko-Kary. It had three faculties—acting, stage directing, and theater studies—and from 1961 two additional departments—Ukrainian and Russian cinema. In 1968 six faculties were set up: acting, stage directing, theater studies, film directing, cinema studies, and cinematography. Correspondence courses in cinema and theater studies were available. The regular program required five years, with another year for specialization. In 2003 the institute was reorganized into the Kyiv State University of Theater, Cinema and Television. In 2004 it was granted a national university status and assumed it’s present name.

The university is organized into two structures: the Faculty of Theater Arts, which includes stage and film acting, stage directing, and theater studies; and the Institute of Cinema Arts, which includes film and television directing, film and television-camera work, and film studies. There is also a correspondence school, a graduate program, and an apprenticeship program. Practical training is provided by the university’s teaching film studio (est 1961) and teaching theater (est 1965). The university has been directed by S. Tkachenko (1947–60), Ivan Chabanenko (1961–5), V. Kudyn (1965–6), I. Korniienko (1966–75), V. Bezpalchy (1975–81), F. Balkan (1981–3), Rostyslav Pylypchuk (1983–2003), and O. Bezhin (since 2003).

Valeriian Revutsky

[This article was updated in 2017.]