Rostislav Kirpicenko was born in Lithuania and grew up in Ukraine. There he began a career as a professional footballer, which took him first to Czech Republic and then to Germany. In 2016, Kirpicenko ended his football career and moved to Paris, where he studied modern literature before joining the directing department at La Fémis. His documentary, “One, Angarskaia Street” (2025) was shot after a return to war-torn Ukraine, and it won the Clarens Prize at Cinéma du Réel. His latest film “Vesna” (2026) was selected to screen at the Cannes Film Festival.