About Karina Mia Satlykova
Born on November 27, 1992, in Neftekumsk, Stavropol Krai, into a Nogai family. From an early age, she demonstrated strong analytical skills and strategic thinking through her passion for chess, earning the title of Candidate Master of Sports.
In 2014, she graduated from the Advanced Courses of the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) and completed a professional program at the Mosfilm Film Studio. Her diploma project in film editing was created entirely from restored archival footage of Soviet-era films — a symbolic dialogue between the past and the present.
Since 2019, Karina Mia has been based in Türkiye, where she serves as the CEO of Kunay Film, a production company dedicated to developing and promoting culturally significant cinema across international markets.
Career
Early Work and Film Editing
In 2014, Karina Mia Satlykova began her professional journey at the legendary Mosfilm studios, joining the creative teams of renowned Russian directors Sergey Solovyov and Valery Kharchenko.
From 2014 to 2019, she worked as a film editor on Sergey Solovyov’s author program “SAS. Those with whom I…” for the Kultura TV channel, where she refined her skills in cinematic storytelling and editing aesthetics.
Directorial Debut and Documentary Projects
Her directorial debut came with the documentary “The Age of Yuri Lyubimov”, which participated in the 42nd Moscow International Film Festival.
In 2018, she directed “Kanuny”, a film exploring the life and artistic legacy of Soviet actress Vera Vasilyeva, which aired on several national television channels.
That same year, she completed a large-scale documentary project “Nikolai Gubenko and the Theatre of His Life”, dedicated to the Taganka Actors’ Ensemble Theatre. The film premiered at the “We Won Together” International Documentary Film Festival.
Recognition and International Work
Since 2019, Karina Mia has been a member of the Guild of Film Directors of Russia.
Her 2020 documentary “Theatre of Life” premiered at the Artdocfest International Festival of Auteur Documentary Films, receiving praise for its poetic narrative and artistic depth.
“You must firmly remember that of all the arts, for us the most important is cinema.”
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
the founder of the Soviet state
Turkish Projects and Producing Career
In 2022, she directed the Turkish mini-series “Yunus Bir Söz Söylemiş” with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Türkiye.
The same year, she obtained an official producer’s license from the Ministry of Culture and joined the Association of Turkish Producers, strengthening her professional ties within the Turkish film industry.
In 2023, she served as a jury member at the Aizanoi Film Festival.
Current Work
Today, Karina Mia Satlykova continues to work both as a film director and editor, with a portfolio of more than a dozen feature films and TV series produced in Russia and Türkiye, including projects for Netflix and Disney+.
Kunay Film is a Turkish film company founded
in 2022
Our debut film, "Şımarık," starring Kerem Bürsin, became a hit on Netflix Türkiye and proved that Turkish cinema can achieve impressivebox office success beyond its borders. The film set a record, becoming the highest-grossing Turkish film on the international stage. Withhigh production standards and the synergy of our international team, we create films that can compete in the global market and resonatewith audiences worldwide.