Julia Blue
Julia, a photojournalism student living in war-torn Ukraine, finds her path towards independence and a brighter future challenged after meeting and falling for English, a young soldier fresh from the war zone.
Julia, a photojournalism student living in war-torn Ukraine, finds her path towards independence and a brighter future challenged after meeting and falling for English, a young soldier fresh from the war zone.
Julia, a bright university student, is preparing for a life abroad when an unexpected romance sparks between her and English, a damaged soldier returning from the war zone in eastern Ukraine. From metropolitan Kyiv to a remote Carpathian village, Julia and English must decide if they are ready to build a future together in a homeland that is slowly being torn apart.
Roxy Toporowych is an award-winning writer/ director focused on telling authentic, slice of life stories, often weaving colorful characters with world events, tackling themes of identity, culture and community. She is an NYU Tisch alum, IFP Narrative Lab Directing Fellow, winner of the IFP/Gotham Award for Emerging Directors, a Fulbright Scholar and an AFI DWW+ 2024 fellow.
Her narrative feature debut, JULIA BLUE, a love story between an aspiring photojournalist and a soldier haunted by war, was produced internationally, while living in Kyiv, Ukraine. She won the Special Jury Prize for Best Director World Cinema at the Woodstock Film Festival and the Best Director Award at the Sonoma International Film Festival. Julia Blue was a part of Rooftop Films Works in Progress Screenings and Seattle Film Festival Work in Progress Labs. JULIA BLUE was named one of the top ten films about Ukraine by The Guardian UK. Her short, Ukrainian Dance Movie, premiered at Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival and won the Best Short Film Award at the inaugural Colofilm Festival 2025.
Previously, Roxy directed the dance documentary feature, FOLK! (HotDocs/East SilverMarkets) and the comedy web series 2ND AND 9TH. Additionally, she created the show Awkward Dance Party for the Tribeca Film Festival and was a finalist for SeriesFest and Almanack Writers Labs for her comedy series, COMMIE PARTY! She has served as a producer on documentaries for HULU, HBO and Tribeca Enterprises, and often draws on her documentary background for her fly-on-the-wall cinematic approach.
World Premiere - Cleveland International Film Festival 2018
UK Premiere - Glasgow International Film Festival 2019
Official Selection - Seattle International Film Festival 2018
Official Selection and Award Winner - Woodstock Film Festival 2018
Official Selection and In Competition - Molodist Film Fesival 2019
Best Film - Jury Prize - Julien Dubuque Film Festival 2018
Best Director - Jury Prize - Woodstock Film Festival 2018
Best Director - Jury Prize - Sonoma Film Festival 2019
IFP/GOTHAM Award for emerging women directors 2016
Best Film - Female Eye Film Festival 2019
Actor - Dmytro Yaroshenko
Actor - Polina Snisarenko
Cinematographer - Oleksandr Roshchyn (Sashko) also known for: Stop-Zemlia & Time Stamp (Berlinale 2025)
Editor - Ben Kim
Composer - Alex Brown Church (Sea Wolf)