This summer, Ukraine’s leading media group and production company, FILM.UA Group, released “The Witch. Revenge,” a horror film that has already sparked intense discussion and garnered widespread attention. The ancient witch from Ukrainian town Konotop (which has always been believed to be the place where witches have been mostly born) renounced her powers after falling in love with a mortal guy, but when the war starts and russian soldiers occupy the city and brutally murder her beloved, she decides to take revenge on them, returns her powers, and subjects her fiancé`s killers to the horrendous and bloody retributions.

Despite the genre being unconventional for licensing, the Ukrainian Nerd agency successfully launched a licensing program that attracted brands across various categories. This initiative has given a significant boost to the Ukrainian film industry through groundbreaking collaborations with leading Ukrainian manufacturers, resulting in unique collections that reflect the film’s deep symbolism.

“We create universes around our films, and even in genres as unexpected as horror, we succeed,” said Iryna Kostyuk, producer of “The Witch. Revenge.” “These collaborations between Ukraine’s creative industries and businesses not only boost the market but also demonstrate our ability to create beauty, develop our industries, finding new ways and strengths despite all that our enemy tries to do to Ukraine.”

The most organic licensing category for the film was the novelization of its screenplay. Leading Ukrainian publisher KSD released a novelization of “The Witch. Revenge,” featuring a tie-in cover and illustrations from the movie. This edition expands the universe created by the film, offering fans a deeper dive into the story and characters, including scenes that didn’t make it into the final cut due to time constraints.

When the jewelry brand Zolota Kraina joined the licensing program, they integrated licensed jewelry designs into the book’s illustrations, further enriching the film’s universe and creating a strong connection between licensed products and the story. A cross-promotion was also launched, and those who buy the “The Witch. Revenge” book automatically takes part in a giveaway for the licensed jewelry.

The “Zolota Kraina x The Witch. Revenge” jewelry collection combines traditional Ukrainian and modern designs, with the centerpiece being a pendant featuring the film’s main symbol, the “Witch’s Amulet: Horror Helmet.” Other jewelry items include minimalist and stylish earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets made of silver with gold plating, all unified by a single design concept. The “Motanka” pendant, based on a traditional Ukrainian charm in the shape of a doll, resembling a cross from a distance, is particularly striking.

The collection was first revealed to the public in a music video for the film’s OST, performed by Ukrainian pop star Zlata Ognevich, who is also the face of Zolota Kraina. In the first week of sales and the film’s release, a charitable performance by Ognevich and a jewelry collection presentation took place at one of Kyiv’s largest shopping malls, with all proceeds going to support Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

Promo videos in the style of the Witch universe were specially created for the jewelry collection, featuring costumes and props from the film. The jewelry collection launch is currently supported by themed window displays and a powerful advertising campaign across outdoor, TV, digital, and LED screens at points of sale.

Furthermore, there was a cross promotion with the biggest cinema chain in Ukraine, Multiplex. There is going to be a prize draw of themed jewelry among those who buy tickets to the movie. Zolota Kraina promotes the idea of going to the Multiplex theaters to “The Witch. Revenge”, while the cinema chain advertises the licensed collection.

Сollaboration with Aviatsiya Halychyny includes a rebellious clothing line, featuring T-shirts and skirts that combine fashion, traditional Ukrainian style, and symbols from the movie. The brand also produced a promotional video in the film’s universe with an influencer. 

Arley Sign company launched a collection of temporary tattoos.

And Rozum company releases a board game based on the “The Witch. Revenge” universe on Halloween.  

Collaboration with M-Tac military brand stands out. It`s the first case on the market when a military brand took an entertainment brand license. M-Tac is the biggest military brand in Ukraine, a love mark of our defenders. The company released military patches featuring symbols from the film, imbued with sacred meanings. The first shipment sold out in a day, leading to the production of a new, larger batch. The most rewarding aspect was seeing frontline soldiers posting pictures of themselves with the patches. M-Tac plans to launch “The Witch. Revenge” t-shirts soon.

“The Witch. Revenge” licensing program demonstrates the growth of Ukraine’s licensing market,” said Ph.D. Tetiana Ruban, CEO of Nerd agency. “Despite the challenges of licensing a live-action horror movie, we attracted leading companies across key licensing categories, many of whom were working with a license for the first time. What’s most important is that licensees’ sales are already exceeding expectations. We are working to make the licensing of Ukrainian feature films a systematic practice. For a historical movie “Dovbush” we contracted 5 licensees, including books, apparel, and jewelry. We manage the international rights for “The Witch. Revenge”, with plans to scale successful cases and create new ones in the countries where the film is going to release.” 

“The Witch. Revenge” premiered in Ukraine on August 22. During the 1st weekend the movie got over 72K admissions, and topped the weekend’s box office. “The Witch. Revenge”  gained 3 times as high box-office as “The Crow” that premiered at the same time, and as “The Alien: Romulus”, released a week before. The international sales are ongoing, while the film is set to launch on a major streaming platform for CEE on Halloween.

About the Film
“The Witch. Revenge” is a revenge movie by FILM.UA Group, where the ancient witch from Ukrainian town Konotop (which has always been believed to be the place where witches have been mostly born) renounced her powers after falling in love with a mortal guy, but when the war starts and russian soldiers occupy the city and brutally murder her beloved, she decides to take revenge on them, returns her powers, and subjects her fiancé’s killers to the horrendous and bloody retributions. 

About Nerd Agency
A licensing agency from Ukraine that represents internationally “Mavka. The Forest Song”, “The Witch. Revenge”, and is a licensing agent in Ukraine for Robocar POLI, Gorjuss, Brave Bunnies and other IPs. Awards: Bologna Licensing Award 2024 winner, Licensing International Rising Star 2022 winner, Licensing International Excellence Award 2024 finalist. Nerd agency takes part in BLE 2024 with booth A138.

About FILM.UA Group
FILM.UA Group is one of Eastern Europe’s largest media groups, offering a complete production cycle from development to distribution. The company collaborates with industry giants, delivering top-tier content to audiences in over 100 countries. Its portfolio features acclaimed titles like “Mavka. The Forest Song,” the anthology series “Those Who Stayed,” and the documentary “Citizens at War: A Year in Ukraine,” all of which have been broadcast globally. FILM.UA also takes pride in its animated projects “The Stolen Princess” and “Brave Bunnies,” as well as the successful dramas “Love in Chains” and “Hide and Seek.”

About Aviatsiya Halychyny
Aviatsiya Halychyny is a Ukrainian clothing brand founded in 2015, inspired by Ukraine’s new army. The brand initially focused on clothing related to Ukrainian aviation, but has since expanded to include collections about notable figures in Ukrainian history, collaborations with contemporary cultural figures, and a rebellious women’s line that intertwines Ukrainian mythology, scouting roots, and the image of the modern warrior woman.

About Zolota Kraina
Zolota Kraina is a Ukrainian jewelry brand known for its quality, customer service, and designs that reflect global trends. The brand offers both timeless classics and contemporary models. Zlata Ognevich, whose song is the official soundtrack for “The Witch: Revenge,” is the brand’s ambassador. Since the start of the full-scale war, Zolota Kraina has actively supported Ukraine’s armed forces, provided humanitarian aid, and worked tirelessly towards victory.

About M-Tac  
M-Tac is a Ukrainian brand specializing in quality tactical gear, clothing, footwear, and other military goods. The brand’s motto is “Born of Revolution, War Hardened.” With robust production in Ukraine, M-Tac has proven that high-quality products can successfully compete on the global tactical equipment market. From functional clothing to protective elements, M-Tac pays attention to every detail to ensure reliability and comfort for its customers in any conditions.

About KSD
KSD is a leader in the Ukrainian publishing industry and the largest distributor of books in Ukraine. Over 24 years, KSD has published over 100 million copies. The publishing house offers around 600 titles per year, including fiction, applied literature, and children’s books.

About Arley Sign
The largest Ukraine temp tattoo and body art brand.

About Rozum
Rozum is a Ukrainian board game publisher. The concept of the Rozum brand is to make developmental and fun products for the people. The publisher has more than 50 games in its catalog, which contain worldwide bestsellers, Ukrainian authors’ games, and best-known Ukrainian franchises games. Rozum has about 30 partners around the world.

About Multiplex
Multiplex is the biggest cinema chain in Ukraine with 26 theaters, 147 screens across Ukraine.