Why Kinopravda Feels At Home in Canada

It’s no secret that Kinopravda enjoys being granted the freedom to play. Improvisation and playful collaboration is at the top of the global collective’s creative priorities. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with agency creatives and the crew, they merge vision with active involvement. Whether it's building arm-extending animatics or convincing Diplo’s creative team to get silly with supernatural SFX, establishing collaborative synergy and having fun in the process, is of the utmost importance to these directors.

Based across Budapest, Barcelona, London and LA, Kinopravda’s work takes them all over the world. Signed with FRANK in Canada, the international collective has shot many times with Canadian agencies, including branded films for Chevrolet, Instacart, Snapdragon, Tim Hortons, President's Choice and Home Hardware.

As Kinopravda sees it, Canadian production company FRANK represents everything they like most about the country. “We’d heard things like ‘Canadians are chill’ and ‘it feels kind of European’,” they admit. “We expected those generalisations to be challenged, of course, but honestly, we immediately felt that laid-back vibe from FRANK — and plenty of laughter too.”

Thrilled to be part of a roster of filmmakers who are delivering exciting work, Kinopravda have relished every opportunity to contribute their own offerings to the North American market. “The creative projects coming out of Canada are often marked by a distinctive blend of authenticity, strong visuals and social consciousness,” they explain. “Our playful, cinematic approach is rooted in emotionally rich storytelling, which naturally aligns with this spirit.”

Like much Canadian work, Kinopravda isn’t afraid to blend their often offbeat humour with the intimate. This creates a natural harmony, making their work feel not just relevant in the Canadian context, but almost born from it.

Embracing the Unscripted

Although Kinopravda has shot multiple campaigns in Canada, a recent project for tech brand, Snapdragon, really stands out. This is largely due to the uplifting collaborative environment cultivated by the local crew.

“Working with a crew of fellow punk rocker filmmakers in Toronto for the Snapdragon shoot was an absolute blast,” says Viktor Horvath, a member of the Kinopravda collective. “Nothing beats cranking our favourite punk tracks in the line producer’s car, screaming lyrics out the windows on the way to location scouts like total maniacs. Pure chaos in the best way! It felt less like a job and more like hanging out with your wild, creative family. Good vibes all around.”

According to Viktor, the Snapdragon shoot was packed with wild behind-the-scenes moments which demonstrate exactly how and why Kinopravda thrive on collaboration and improv. “We scouted a jam-packed subway on a weekday – squeezing between commuters, gear in hand – only to stumble across a closed metro lane that felt like a ghost town straight out of a movie. Total gold.”

As the shoot continued, these sparks of spontaneity continued to burn bright. “During fittings, we had so much fun riffing off our cast’s dance moves – half the choreography was born right there, in between wardrobe tweaks and laughs. Plus, we turned an empty warehouse into two totally different worlds. One floor became a full-blown wedding store, and upstairs we built a giant rave complete with lights, smoke, and the coolest cast.”

Quick to point out that their improvisational streak isn’t about throwing caution to the wind, Viktor explains how structure breeds freedom and Kinopravda’s freedom to improvise is facilitated by meticulous preparation during pre-production.

From creating a shared ‘Production Bible’ for agencies and clients, to building animatics and even test-shooting scenes on their phones, the collective builds such a detailed foundation in prep that, once on set, they have the confidence and flexibility to improvise without losing control.

The Canadian Experience

Reflecting on their time shooting with Instacart in Vancouver, the artists sing similar praise for their crew on the West Coast. “We felt the sense of chill we’d heard associated with Canadians here too,” they note. “It was coming from a place of confidence, and that confidence was rooted in real competence. What also stood out was how clearly and precisely everyone could express themselves. On a shoot, where you’re constantly navigating a million questions and decisions, that kind of clarity makes a huge difference.”

Kinopravda’s experiences on both coasts highlight a key factor in their freedom to experiment: the uniquely supportive creative culture in Canada. “The creatives are actually creative in Canada”, adds Xénia Fekete of the collective. “They are smart and witty, and there's this sense of humour which feels more free. I really love the way that the client trusts the agencies. It's something that we don’t always see. Our experiences in Canada are a lot more flexible, there's always more wiggle room to push a little further.”

For Kinopravda, that creative freedom and trust translates directly into more space to experiment which, in turn, perfectly compliments their ethos of improvisation and playful collaboration.

As Kinopravda reflected on their experiences across Canada, Danielle Kappy, CEO and EP at FRANK, shared her perspective on why the collective’s approach stands out.

“I mean, they’re some of my favourite humans on the planet,” she says. “I personally think that their whole ethos and how they approach the work – from their production Bible to the briefing calls and the pitches – demonstrates their deep respect for the craft and the work that the creatives put in. They're respectful of the process and what the creative team has gone through. But they're also always pushing to take the creative to the next level. It's rare, to be honest, and every time we work with them it's a real adventure.”

Her words underscore what Kinopravda themselves value: a mix of preparation, improvisation, and fearless collaboration that makes working with them both productive and exhilarating.

Whether engaging with a fast and furiously paced, heavily choreographed spot like ‘Power to Move’ for Snapdragon, or a comedic parody rooted in Canadian pride like ‘Hockey’ for Instacart, Kinopravda feels supported and encouraged by FRANK wherever they film.

Looking Forward, Together

According to Kinopravda, multiple aspects of their creative approach resonate strongly with Canadian audiences. “Canadian brands frequently look for campaigns that build emotional connection through authenticity and character,” they explain. “Our work often centres on ordinary people placed in unusual or heightened circumstances, making their stories feel intimate yet cinematic — exactly the kind of duality Canadian brands often strive for.”

Noting how their use of humour – “often dry, offbeat, or absurd” – pairs perfectly with the kind of wit that tends to land with Canadian audiences, the collective believes they have a good grasp on what creative briefs from this corner of the world are looking for. “It’s not over-the-top or loud, but intelligent and emotionally aware, often used to disarm or humanise rather than distract.”

Rooted in trust, expression, and a spirit of fearless collaboration, Canada clearly offers the perfect stage for Kinopravda’s emotionally rich, genre-defying work to flourish. With shared values and an ever-growing list of inventive projects under their belt, this partnership between Kinopravda and FRANK demonstrates creative kinship at its finest.