Not like everyone else: how an American with Ukrainian roots won an Emmy

Since 1949, the achievements of the creators of TV products have been awarded the Emmy Award. One of her last year's laureates went to a Ukrainian school as a child, wore an embroidered shirt and danced a hopak. More on this in the video VOA.

An Emmy for Best Director of a Drama Series was given to Andriy Parakh, an American of Ukrainian-Hindu origin.

He is the director of photography for more than a dozen independent American films, including Blue Valentine, The Zookeeper's Wife, and Madame Bovary. As a director, he directed individual episodes of the famous and critically acclaimed series Guardians and Legacy.

Andrey Parakh received an Emmy for Best Director of 3 episodes of the HBO television hit Heritage. Andrey is from a Ukrainian-Hindu family. His mother is from Lemko region.

“My mother is Ukrainian. My grandparents were from Przemysl. They left the city in 1938 and ended up in camps in Germany during the war. “My mother was born there,” Andrey said. “Then in 1946 or 1947, my grandparents moved to the United States. My mother grew up in Delaware in a town with a small Ukrainian community. She met my father at university."

On the subject: A descendant of Ukrainian immigrants and a tough critic of the Kremlin: what is known about the new US Secretary of State

After the wedding, the parents moved to Minneapolis, where Andrei grew up. The influence of Ukrainian roots was much greater than that of Indian.

“I felt more of my Ukrainian identity. Because my dad, when he left India, moved away from his traditions, but my mother did not,” Andrey noted. “I attended Ukrainian Sunday school, practiced Ukrainian folk dances, wore trousers, red boots, and embroidered shirt.”

“Besides this, I went to the Ukrainian church from kindergarten until I was 15 years old,” Andrey said.

Dad insisted that his son become a doctor. But the guy didn’t have a heart for medicine. He left the preparatory medical school and went to travel. And in 1992 he visited Ukraine for the first time. It was during his travels that he became seriously interested in photography and began photographing new places.

In the end, the hobby turned into a hobby, Andrei moved to New York, where he entered the School of Art at New York University. Talent, and most importantly hard work, says Andrei, have borne fruit.

“Some of my classmates from film school don’t make films, but they studied with me, we had the same opportunities,” says Andrey. — When I was in film school, I made 50 short films. I didn’t have children back then, I could start working at 5am and finish at 11pm.”

For 20 years of work in the cinema, Andrei has managed to establish himself as a brilliant cameraman, and now a director, even though this gave him gray hair.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

“These cute gray hairs are from years of pressure. You know the problem with American television - you have a lot of money, but no time,” says Andrey. — You have 12-13 days to shoot 1 hour. I always want there to be more space for independent cinema, close to European cinema. It’s more intimate and less grandiose because they can’t afford it.”

His inspiration was Andrei Tarkovsky’s films “Ivan’s Childhood” and “Wings” by Larisa Shepitko. Andrey often visited Ukraine, worked there and even shot several advertisements in Kyiv. Having lived in two homelands, I got confused.

“When I’m in the States, I feel like a Ukrainian or an Indian, and when I’m far from the States, I feel like an American,” shares Andrey.

This is how the guy got stuck between cultures since childhood. He remembers that when he went to an American school, he was not considered an American, and when he attended a Ukrainian school, he was not seen as a Ukrainian.

“I never fit into the Ukrainian school. And then I spoke Ukrainian better among the students in my class, so I tried to compensate for the fact that I did not belong to them,” Andrey recalls.

Therefore, he will devote his speech at the Emmy ceremony to those who do not fit into the generally accepted norm.

“I want to dedicate this award to all the children who have a name like mine, which is unpronounceable. Who don't look like everyone else in their class, who feel like outsiders, and who are seen as hyphenated Americans rather than just Americans. And this Emmy is an award for all of us,” Andrey said in his speech.

Read also on ForumDaily:

A descendant of Ukrainian immigrants and a tough critic of the Kremlin: what is known about the new US Secretary of State

'This is a dream come true': how the invention of a Ukrainian woman attracted star investors in the USA

In the new series Netflix spoke about the poisoning of Bandera and Yushchenko

Ukrainians living abroad spoke about their experience of vaccination against COVID-19

'Not just a thing, but a piece of heart': how Ukrainian women create handmade gifts in the USA

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.