Oleh Sentsov

Sakharov Prize 2018 laureate Oleg Sentsov receives his award (49127359156) cropped

Ukrainian filmmaker and activist

Oleh Sentsov

Name	Oleh Sentsov
Birth name
Birth date	Birth date -1st March 1966
Birth place	Simferopol, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union
Death date
Death place
Alma mater
Occupation	Filmmaker, writer, activist
Years active
Organization
Known for
Notable works	Gamer, Numbers
Spouse(s)
Website

Oleh Hennadiyovych Sentsov (Ukrainian: Олег Геннадійович Сенцов; born 13 July 1976) is a Ukrainian filmmaker, writer, and activist. He is best known for his films Gamer and Numbers, as well as for his activism and imprisonment by Russia.

Early life and education

Oleh Sentsov was born in Simferopol, the capital of Crimea, then part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in the Soviet Union. He studied at the Kyiv National Economic University.

Career

Sentsov began his career as a filmmaker with the release of his debut feature film, Gamer, in 2011. The film was well-received and showcased at several international film festivals. His subsequent works include Numbers, which he co-directed while in prison.

Activism and imprisonment

Sentsov became an active participant in the Euromaidan protests in 2013-2014. Following the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Sentsov was arrested by Russian authorities and charged with plotting terrorist acts. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a trial widely criticized by international human rights organizations.

During his imprisonment, Sentsov went on a hunger strike to protest the incarceration of Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia. His plight garnered international attention, and he was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2018.

Release and later work

Sentsov was released in September 2019 as part of a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia. Since his release, he has continued his work in filmmaking and activism, advocating for human rights and the release of political prisoners.

Filmography

• Gamer (2011)
• Numbers (2020)

Awards and recognition

• Sakharov Prize (2018)

See also

• Euromaidan
• Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
• Sakharov Prize