Ukrainian State Film Agency

The Ukrainian State Film Agency (USFA) is a central executive body of the government which implements the state policy on cinematography including film production, distribution and promotion of Ukrainian films both in Ukraine and worldwide.

The first Ukrainian state organization in the field of cinema was "Ukrainfilm," which was established in August 1918 after Pavlo Skoropadsky came to power in Ukraine and issued a decree on the Ukrainianization of cinema. On March 13, 1922, the Soviet authorities created the Ukrainian State Committee for Cinematography—All-Ukrainian Photo-Cinema Administration—on the basis of the All-Ukrainian Film Committee. This state organization unified the entire field of cinematography, including film studios, film distribution, film industry, film education and film press in Ukraine and Crimea from 1922 to 1930. 

After the dissolution of the All-Ukrainian Photo-Cinema Administration in the early 1930s, a less autonomous organization was created in its place—the State Trust "Ukrainian Cinema of the 1930s-1940s." Its successor later became the State Committee of the Ukrainian SSR for Cinematography. On August 5, 1988, the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR dissolved the State Committee for Cinematography, leaving Ukraine effectively without a state body responsible for the development of cinema. 

In August 1991, the State Fund of Ukrainian Cinematography was created, which existed until May 13, 1993. From 1993 to 2005, cinematography issues were overseen by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. The State Cinema Service was established as a government agency within the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 1111 dated 22.11.2005). According to the Presidential Decree of Ukraine dated December 9, 2010, No. 1085/2010 "On the Optimization of the System of Central Executive Authorities," the State Agency of Ukraine for Cinema was formed by reorganizing the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine and dissolving the State Cinema Service (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 346 dated March 28, 2011). The Regulations for the State Agency of Ukraine for Cinema, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 277 dated July 17, 2014, state that the State Agency of Ukraine for Cinema is established as a central executive authority whose activities are directed and coordinated by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and which ensures the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of cinematography.