Thea Films is an award-winning production company founded by actress and filmmaker Dolya Gavanski, established in London and later in Varna, Bulgaria. The company creates human-focused, character-driven films with a strong social pulse, with a particular emphasis on bold creative documentaries amplifying female voices worldwide.
Beyond filmmaking, Thea Films collaborates across artistic disciplines and develops social and educational projects.
Currently in production, Confessions of a Female Gamer is a multi-year, multi-country documentary filmed across Europe and the United States. The project has taken part in Documentary Campus, been selected at major industry events and received multiple pitching awards.
Previous work includes Women’s Day (co-produced with Agitprop, Elemag Pictures, and MDR) and the award-winning GOLOS: Ukrainian Voices, winner of Best Documentary at the London Independent Film Festival and widely screened internationally. Excerpts from GOLOS will feature in the 2026 theatre production Ukraine Unbroken at Arcola Theatre, London.
THE TEAM
DOLYA GAVANSKI
DIRECTOR and PRODUCER
Dolya Gavanski is an award winning actor and filmmaker whose work spans stage and screen; from the the West End through to feature films, documentaries, television, radio plays, podcasts and video games. Since founding Thea Films, Dolya has written, directed, produced, and narrated two feature documentaries, Women’s Day and Golos: Ukrainian Voices, while also collaborating with galleries, theatre productions, concert halls and educational institutions. As an actor, Dolya has worked with directors such as Michael Winterbottom, Angelina Jolie, Susanna White, Sir Trevor Nunn, and has performed alongside Michael Fassbender, Steve Coogan, Eleanor Bron, Mark Rylance and Dominic West. Additional producing credits include the feature film 18% Grey by Viktor Chouchkov, which she co-wrote.
Raised across several countries, she trained in piano performance and acting in Moscow and London, studied at Cambridge University and holds a PhD in theatre. She has also written drama for both film and BBC Radio.
JAMES NORTON
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
James began his career as an assistant on feature films by Derek Jarman, Terence Davies and Sally Potter before working for many years as an associate producer on BBC arts series such as Arena and Imagine and documentaries on international history for most major broadcasters.
He went on to produce and direct numerous artist profiles for the South Bank Show series, a documentary on the Russian police, films on theatre for NT Live cinema screenings and others on art and fashion for leading museums and festivals. As a writer he has interviewed and published articles on many major Russian film directors and has written extensively on the culture of the former Soviet Union.
KARINA GUGLYA
PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR
Karina studied English Literature and Theatre Studies, as well as MA in International Relations at Queen Mary University of London. Combining both her knowledge in politics and creativity, her career path varied from work for a political party, to managing various marketing projects at private companies. She has worked as assistant producer, post- production producer and a translator for film projects like The Heritage of Love, Nuremberg Trials, Golos: Ukrainian Voices and Women's Day.
