# Stanislav Tsalyk

Stanislav Tsalyk (Ukrainian: Станісла́в Микола́йович Ца́лик; born July 23, 1962) is a Ukrainian writer, an essayist, a local history expert, and a BBC history writer.
He has been a member of the National Filmmakers Union of Ukraine (screenwriter) since 1997 and a member of the Association of European Journalists since 2013.
He is a winner of Kyiv City Ivan Mykolaichuk Award (Film Arts, 2016).
A member of the Ukrainian Film Academy since 2017.
He has written several books and published 1,000+ articles and historical non-fiction essays in the leading Ukrainian media. His stories reveal unknown pages of Ukrainian and Kyiv history and life of famous historical figures.

## Biography

Stanislav Tsalyk is a native Kyivan. He attended Secondary School No. 48 (1969–1977) and Technical High School No. 178 (1977–1979) and holds two university degrees: one in Economic Cybernetics from the Ukrainian Agricultural Academy (1985) and the other from Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (Scriptwriting, prof. Valentin Chernykh, screenwriter of Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears - Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, 1980).

## Literary work

Stanislav Tsalyk specializes in documentary/nonfiction writing. His primary field of interests is the history of Kyiv, the history of ethnic minorities and unknown pages of the Ukrainian history. He explores daily life at different historical times rather than political or military conflicts and actively works with published and verbal memoirs, archived documents, newspapers, and photos.
He developed his unique literary style – finding exciting or unknown pages of the past, exploring understudied aspects, giving the exact chronology, and presenting unexpectedly convincing parallels and cascades of events. Full of various intriguing facts and surprising details, his publications are thrilling detective stories built on the principles of dramatic composition.

## Publications and books

Stanislav Tsalyk (the Polish spelling of the author's name is Stanisław Calik) has been published since May 1992. Over his professional career as a history writer and journalist, he wrote history columns in many printed and online media. Today he is a BBC history writer (http://www.bbc.com/ukrainian). His publications are in English, Ukrainian, Polish, and Russian. Many articles are available online.
His historical guide "Евпатория: Прогулки по Малому Иерусалиму" (Yevpatoria: Walks in Little Jerusalem, in Russian) (2007) was republished several times and became a bestseller in Crimea. The updated revised edition was published in 2012. The presentation took place in Kyiv on September 4, 2012, at Baboon Coffee House.
The book "Таємниці письменницьких шухляд. Детективна історія української літератури" (Secrets of Writer's Drawers: a Detective Story of the Ukrainian Literature, in Ukrainian) (2010, 2011, co-writer) was on everyone's lips and became one of the most interesting events in the Ukrainian literature in 2010–2011. The book was presented on November 4, 2010, at the Ukrainian National Literature Museum.
The book "Киев: конспект 70-х" (Kyiv: Summary of the 1970s, in Russian) (2012) has been the first publication entirely focused on the daily life of Kyiv and its residents in the Soviet 1970s. The book hit the shortlist and won The Book of the Year Award at the 14th Ukrainian National Rating (2012). The presentation took place on March 31, 2012, at Ukrainian House.
The book "Інший Київ" (A Different Kyiv, in Ukrainian/English) (2012, co-writer) is an alternative guide to today's life of Ukraine's capital – city of Kyiv. The book was published in a bilingual format (Ukrainian/English). Stanislav Tsalyk wrote the chapter entitled "Місто багатьох барв" (City of Many Colours) as a self-guided walking tour about the history of ethnic communities in Kyiv. The guide was presented on May 21, 2012, at Baboon Coffee House.
The book "Veni, Vidi, Scripsi: Де, як і чому працюють українці" (Veni, Vidi, Scripsi: Where, How and Why Do the Ukrainians Work, in Ukrainian, 2014, co-writer) is a selection of top ten literary reportages written by Ukrainian writers and shortlisted by Samovydets All-Ukrainian Literary Reportage Contest. Stanislav Tsalyk's reportage "Геракл відпочивав давно. Хроніки довоєнного відпочинку" (Herakles Had Rest a Long Time Ago: Chronicles of Pre-War Summer Holidays, in Ukrainian) is about Crimea and its people shortly before Russia's annexation. The presentation took place in September 2014 at the 21st International Book Forum, Lviv.
The book "Наш Крим: неросійські історії українського півострова" (Our Crimea: Non-Russian Stories of the Ukrainian Peninsula, in Ukrainian 2016, co-writer) is a collection of the best Ukrainian history journalists’ writings about Crimea. The book covers the period from the establishment of the Crimean Khanate to Ukraine's independence in 1991. Stanislav Tsalyk contributed three articles: "Решилися Мы взять под державу Нашу полуостров Крымский" (We Decided to Take the Crimean Peninsula under Our State, in Ukrainian) "Росії заборонили мати флот на Чорному морі" (Russia was Prohibited to Have its Fleet on the Black Sea, in Ukrainian), "Дерев'яний паркан відділяв чоловічий пляж від жіночого" (A Wooden Fence Dividing Men’s Beach from the Women’s One, in Ukrainian).
In 2019, he translated the memories of the famous Lviv architect Wawrzyniec Dayczak "Początek II wojny światowej i okupacji sowieckiej we Lwowie" (The Beginning of World War II and the Soviet Occupation in Lviv) from Polish. This project was financed by the Consulate General of Poland in Lviv and the Polish Institute in Kyiv and presented on September 22, 2019, at the 26th Lviv International Book Forum.
The book "Історія Криму першої половини ХХ ст. Нариси" (History of Crimea in the First Half of the 20th Century. Sketches, in Ukrainian, 2020, co-writer) is a learning aid for 10th grade students attending secondary schools in Ukraine. It was published with the USAID's financial support.
The book "Тільки у Львові: Тонько, Щепко і всі-всі-всі" (Only in Lviv: Tonko, Szczepko and all the Others, in Ukrainian, 2020, e-book, co-writer) was published with the support of the Lviv City Council and Focus on Culture Program.
The book "Tylko we Lwowie. Tońko, Szczepko i wszyscy inni" (Only in Lviv. Tońko, Szczepko and all the Others, in Polish, 2024, co-writer). — Łódź, Księży Młyn Dom Wydawniczy.
The book "Zula Pogorzelska. Polska Mistinguett". — Białystok, Tomasz Brański, 2024 (in Polish, a comic book based on the article by Stanisław Calik "Nikt w Warszawie tak nie śpiewał" (No one in Warsaw has ever sung like that), Tygodnik Powszechny, nr 32 (3865), 6 sierpnia 2023 r., s.56-59)
The book "Таємниці письменницьких шухляд. Літературне повсякдення в країні здійсненої антиутопії" (Secrets of Writers' Drawers. Literary Everyday Life in the Country of Fulfilled Anti-utopia, in Ukrainian, co-writer). — Київ, Ще одну сторінку, 2025 / Kyiv, Sche Odnu Storinku, 2025

## Scriptwriting

Stanislav Tsalyk wrote 30+ film and TV scripts and consulted many TV projects as an expert in Kyiv history.
In 1994–1995, he worked as a scriptwriter and a TV presenter for "Фильмоскоп" (A Filmstrip Projector), a TV show about movies at UT-3 Channel.
In 1994, he was a scriptwriter of the full-length feature film "Judenkreis, або Вічне колесо" (85', directed by Vasyl Dombrovsky, Dovzhenko Film Studio, 1997).
In 2013, he was a scriptwriter of the full-length documentary film Hollywood on the Dnieper. Dreams from Atlantis (89', directed by Oleg Chorny, Directory Films, 2013). The premiere screening took place in July 2014 at Odesa International Film Festival.
In 2015, he participated in Golos: Ukrainian Voices, a full-length documentary film (70', directed by Dolya Gavanski, Thea Films, 2015, UK) by contributing archive materials for the film.
In 2016, he wrote the script of the full-length documentary From Babi Yar to Freedom (89’, directed by Oleg Chorny, Pronto Film, 2017). This is the first film about the hard life of Anatoliy Kuznetsov (1929-1979), a writer who fled from the USSR to the UK to publish his book Babi Yar: A Document in the form of a Novel in the full uncensored version. The film features the writer's son Alexei Kuznetsov.
In 2020, he wrote the script of the full-length documentary film To See the Sky (in progress, directed by Oleg Chorny, Pronto Film).

## Hobbies

Being fascinated by the past of cities and towns, Stanislav Tsalyk travels a lot in Ukraine and other countries. He particular likes Kyiv and guides his original historical walks discovering unknown pages of the past and people living in the city. He collects artefacts of Kyiv's history of the 20th century which he actively uses as illustrations to his publications and books.

## Awards

* Best Film Script of the Year Award by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine (1994)
* Winner of the 1st Ukrainian Journalistic Competition "Mass Media for Ethnic Tolerance and Social Cohesion" (2005)
* Kyiv: Summary of the 1970s won The Book of the Year Award at the 14th All-Ukrainian Rating (2012)
* Certificate of Recognition from Samovydets (The Eyewitness) Second Literary Reportage Contest (2013)
* Kyiv City Ivan Mykolaichuk Award (Film Arts, 2016)
* A winner of the Lviv 2020: Focus on Culture Art Contest (2020).

## Books

* 100 великих украинцев. – Москва: Вече, Киев: Орфей, 2002 (соавтор) / The 100 Great Ukrainians. – Moscow: Veche, Kyiv, Orphey, 2002 (co-writer)
* 100 найвідоміших українців. – К.: Автограф, Орфей, 2005 (соавтор) / The 100 Most-Known Ukrainians. – Kyiv, Autograph, Orphey, 2005 (co-writer)
* Куля в Максима Рильского: Невідоме з життя літературніх класиків. – К.: Перше Вересня, 2005 (співавтор) / The bullet to Maksym Rylsky: Unknown Pages in the Life of Literary Classics. – Kyiv, Pershe Veresnia, 2005 (co-writer)
* Kyiv. Travel Guide. – Kyiv, Uniwell Production, 2005
* Евпатория: Прогулки по Малому Иерусалиму. – Симферополь: Оригинал-М, 2007 / Yevpatoria: Walks in Little Jerusalem. – Simferopol', Original-M, 2007
* Таємниці письменницьких шухляд. Детективна історія української літератури – К.: Наш час, 2010, 2011 (співавтор) / Secrets of Writer's Drawers: a Detective Story of the Ukrainian Literature – Kyiv,: Nash Chas, 2010, 2011 (co-writer)
* Киев: конспект 70-х. – К.: ВАРТО, 2012 / Kyiv: Summary of the 1970s. – Kyiv, VARTO, 2012
* Different Kyiv. Alternative Guide to Kyiv. – Kyiv, CCA, 2012 (co-writer)
* Евпатория: Прогулки по Малому Иерусалиму. Новое издание. – Симферополь: Бизнес-Информ, 2012 (издание расширенное и переработанное) / Yevpatoria: Walks in Little Jerusalem. Updated Edition. – Simferopol', Business-Inform, 2012 (expanded and revised edition)
* Veni, Vidi, Scripsi: Де, як і чому працюють українці. - К.: Темпора, 2014 (співавтор) / Veni, Vidi, Scripsi: Where, How and Why Do the Ukrainians Work. – Kyiv, Tempora Publishing House, 2014 (co-writer)
* Наш Крим: неросійські історії українського півострова. - К.: К.І.С., 2016 (співавтор) / Our Crimea: Non-Russian Stories of the Ukrainian Peninsula. - Kyiv, K.I.S.,2016 (co-writer)
* Історія Криму першої половини ХХ ст. Нариси. - К.: Академія української преси, 2020 (співавтор) / History of Crimea in the First Half of the 20th Century. Sketches. - Kyiv, AUP, 2020 (co-writer)
* Тільки у Львові: Тонько, Щепко і всі-всі-всі. - К.: К.І.С., 2020 (співавтор) / Only in Lviv: Tonko, Szczepko and all the Others. - Kyiv, K.I.S., 2020 (co-writer)