Iliyana Semerdzhieva
Writer & producer
focused on socially-engaged and environmentally sustainable filmmaking
Iliyana holds an MA in Arts from New Bulgarian University. She is the creative producer of two short films addressing sexual violence in an intimate partnership, and global warming.
She is also a European Climate Pact Ambassador (2023-2026) and the team leader behind Ecotopia (funded by the EU) - an educational escape room on the topic of climate change - the main inspiration for the film Climatopia.
Following the creation of the escape room and building on her experience as a creative producer, she takes the next logical step with Climatopia — her first project as writer and producer.
Kosta Karakashyan
Director & producer
focused on socially engaged filmmaking that explores collective trauma through personal stories
Kosta Karakashyan holds a BA in Arts from Columbia University, New York, and an MA from the Global Campus of Human Rights in Venice. He is a former Bulgarian Youth Delegate to the UN, a Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe laureate, a member of the European Film Academy, and a participant in Berlinale Talents 2024.
His internationally recognized work (featured in The New Yorker, The Guardian, and NOWNESS) explores themes such as LGBTQ+ life in Eastern Europe and the climate crisis, including the performance The Last Sunset, created with Greenpeace Bulgaria.
His empathetic and socially engaged approach aligns closely with Climatopia writer’s vision, allowing the film to frame climate change as a deeply human and emotionally resonant story.
Studio Karakashyan is a multidisciplinary production company founded in 2018 by Kosta Karakashyan that works with an international network of artists and creatives across disciplines.
Studio Karakashyan will act as the official production body and legal entity, providing its organisational structure, production capacity, and international network, ensuring a strong and sustainable realization of Climatopia.
In recent years, Studio Karakashyan has produced a range of film, digital, and educational projects, including the short films Edge of Vision, Object Play, SURRENDER, In Her Skin, and a real boy, presented at international festivals and industry platforms such as Talents & Shorts Film Market Torino, ShorTS Development & Pitch Training, and Film+.
CINETIC Productions will act as a production partner on Climatopia, supporting the project through creative collaboration, crew participation, studio facilities, and technical equipment throughout the production process. The collective is dedicated to supporting bold independent projects that encourage the development of new voices and practices within the audiovisual industry.
CLimatopia Key Creative team
