A Hollywood director moved to the Carpathian region and opened an office in Kolomyia
Director and photographer Ben Hoffman, who previously lived in Los Angeles and worked on advertising campaigns, music videos, and films featuring Hollywood stars, has moved to Kolomyia in the Carpathian region. He sold his property in the U.S. and opened an office for his own production company in the city.
Hoffman is currently growing his business in Ukraine, volunteering in frontline areas, and learning Ukrainian.
Ben first came to Ukraine in May 2022. He was invited to shoot a charity music video near the wreckage of the “Mriya” aircraft in Hostomel. He says that this trip changed his life.
“On the way from Krakow to Kyiv, something happened that I still can’t explain. It was as if I were drawn to this country like a magnet. I’ve traveled a lot, but there are only a few places where I’ve truly felt at home. Ukraine became one of them,” he recalls.
After returning to the U.S., Ben couldn’t stop thinking about Ukraine. Eventually, together with his business partner Yuliana, they made a decision that seemed strange to many: they sold almost everything, moved their equipment, and opened an office for their production company in Kolomyia.
Today, the team consists of nine Ukrainian professionals. They create documentaries, advertising campaigns, and videos for social media, and help charitable organizations share stories about their work.
Hoffman himself is convinced that helping doesn’t have to be limited to donations or humanitarian aid.
“I thought long and hard about how I could be useful, and I realized that one of the best ways to help is to develop the economy. The more projects our company takes on, the more people we’ll be able to employ,” he says.
At the same time, the American volunteers with the Animal Rescue Kharkiv team. He travels to the Donetsk region, documents the evacuation of animals from frontline areas, and created a new website for the organization free of charge so that people outside Ukraine can learn more about its work.
Another of Ben’s personal goals is to learn the Ukrainian language. He says it’s not just a hobby.
“If I’m going to live in Ukraine, I have to learn to speak Ukrainian. For me, this isn’t a hobby—it’s a big dream,” he says.
According to the American, what impresses him most is not the nature or architecture, but the Ukrainian people themselves.
“Despite the war, air raid alerts, and constant danger, people are working, supporting one another, and not giving up. That’s why I call Ukraine a country of incredible people,” says Hoffman.
He recently bought a house in the village of Nyzhniy Bereziv in the Kosiv district. He says that once it’s renovated, he wants to live there.
“I’d like to spend my old age in a beautiful Ukrainian village. I’d like to have a few goats, lots of dogs, and cats. And I’d also like to create more jobs and help even more Ukrainians. I didn’t come here to take anything away. I came to give back.”
The American shared his story with “Suspilne.”
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