Sonya Kendel

Sonya (Sofya) Kendel is a Russian animation director, production designer and animator based in Berlin. Born in Novosibirsk, she graduated in graphic design from Orenburg State University in 2007 and from the SHAR animation school-studio in 2010. Her graduation film Pishto Goes Away (2012) won the Guild of Film Critics prize and the best student film prize at the Open Russian Animation Film Festival in Suzdal in 2012, the top animation prize at the Saint Anna student and debut film festival, and was voted an audience favourite at DC Shorts in 2013. She has worked as an assistant and background artist on studio productions and as production designer on short films including Out of the Game (2011) and White Willow (2023).

January 8, 1987