Elena Semikina is a renowned Russian-Canadian filmmaker, celebrated for her outstanding work in the industry. As the Founder and Principal of Eunoia Films Inc., she is currently building a diverse portfolio of documentary projects, garnering interest from a range of U.S., Canadian, and international stakeholders.
Notably, Semikina conceived and executive-produced the feature documentary "Our Man in Tehran", which premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, providing a corrective narrative on the Iran hostage crisis in the aftermath of Ben Affleck's film "Argo" which had premiered at the same festival just a year prior.
In addition to her work on "Our Man in Tehran", Semikina also directed, produced, and wrote "Behind The Dress", a documentary that received widespread recognition, including nominations for the Women in Cinema Award and The Golden Door Film Festival Prize, as well as the Bronze Plaque Award at the Columbus Film Festival.
"Behind The Dress" offers a unique perspective on the Miss Universe competition, showcasing it as a platform for promoting women's empowerment, humanitarian outreach, and transgender rights. The documentary features unprecedented access and first-hand accounts, dispelling traditional beauty pageant stereotypes.
Semikina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing & Finance from York University, and prior to her career in filmmaking, she won the Miss Universe Canada competition in 2010, representing Canada at the 2010 Miss Universe competition. In 2012, Semikina served as a judge for the Miss Universe contest held in Moscow, Russia.
