Sofia Geweiler is a Russian-German filmmaker. In 2013, she graduated from the documentary
directing program at the Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK). Her graduation
short documentary,
Given in Exchange, explored the stories of women facing the decision to
leave their newborns in maternity hospitals. The film was selected for the Oscar-qualifying
short film competition at the Camerimage Film Festival in Poland, won Best Short Film at the
Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival in China, and received the CILECT
Documentary Prize from the International Association of Film and Television Schools in Los
Angeles.
Sofia’s first feature-length documentary,
Spirit in Motion, followed eight characters from
around the world at the 2014 Winter Paralympics. Designated the official movie by the
International Paralympic Committee, it broadcast on television in the US, Brazil, Poland, Qatar,
Israel, and Slovakia, and won the Audience Award at DOCSDF in Mexico.
In 2018, Sofia released a feature-length observational documentary on emerging soccer players
vying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup national team, as part of the global
Phenoms project with
21st Century Fox. It premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in the US and distributed worldwide on
FOX, National Geographic, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
In 2023, Sofia received the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for a Master’s in fiction film directing
at the KinoEyes Joint European Film Masters program. Over two years, she studied at four
universities: Lusófona University in Lisbon, Napier University in Edinburgh, the Baltic Film,
Media and Arts School in Tallinn, and the National Film School at the Institute of Art, Design
and Technology in Dublin. During her studies, Sofia directed her first narrative shorts:
Prayer,
shot in Portugal and premiered at the 59th International Hof Film Festival in Germany, and
Holly_F3ck, filmed in Ireland.