The filming of the romantic comedy "Probation" has been completed in Kyiv: interesting facts from the set

The filming of the romantic comedy "Probation" produced by 1+1 Media together with the production team SFERA FILM has officially been completed. The premiere of the film will take place in January 2026 in all cinemas in the country.

The main roles are played by the famous Ukrainian actress Kateryna Kuznetsova and the actor of the Lesya Ukrainka Theater Kyrylo Parastayev, for whom this work was his debut in a full-length film. The film also stars theater and film actor, winner of the Golden Spinning Wheel award Vyacheslav Dovzhenko, Honored Artists of Ukraine Olena Uzlyuk, Andriy Isayenko, Irma Vitovska, as well as movie stars Tatyana Malkova, Ivan Sharan and Marichka Khomenko, for whom, like Kirill, this is the first role in a full-length film. The team is intrigued by the fact that the film will feature many star actors and cameos, which are still being kept secret.

At the center of the plot is Polina, the glamorous daughter of a businessman (Katerina Kuznetsova), who, after her father’s betrayal, finds herself on probation at an advertising agency. There, she competes for a position with Roman (Kyrylo Parastayev), an ambitious and principled colleague who sees the world completely differently. Their professional rivalry gradually develops into conflicts, unexpected rapprochements and situations where it is difficult to separate work tasks from personal feelings.

On the occasion of the completion of filming, we reveal exclusive details of “Probation”!

Star cast and bright heroes

The project team finally revealed the main actors through a special digital challenge, which has a continuation in the program “Closer to the Stars” on TET. Thanks to the synergy of the two platforms, it was possible to collect a reach of over 2 million and introduce viewers to bright heroes in an atypical way.

The story of the film is set in the office of the CEO of an advertising agency (Olexandr Dovzhenko), charismatic and eccentric, with two interns who have their own motives for fighting for the same position. Polina (Katerina Kuznetsova), the daughter of an influential businessman, finds herself in the real world for the first time without a credit card and competes for a place with Roman (Kyrylo Parastayev), a true professional and fighter for justice. The interns work in a team with other employees: “always positive, but slow” Mark (Andriy Isayenko), “quiet and comfortable” Sonya (Marichka Khomenko), “office mom” Tatyana (Tetyana Malkova) and “irreplaceable” Ilya (Ivan Sharan). Also among the key characters is one of the most influential and famous psychologists in the country, Kateryna Aleksandrivna (Olena Uzlyuk), who has seen everything, but the most important professional test awaits ahead… Irma Vitovskaya, who will play the role of the mother of Roman, the main character, and Dmitry Tankovich — he plays the role of “her boyfriend” in the film.

14 looks of Kateryna Kuznetsova

Costume designer Natalia Stepaneva admits that working on the wardrobe of Kateryna Kuznetsova’s heroine Polina was a real challenge:

“Katya had 14 different looks — a new look for each scripted day. We wanted to show how Polina changes: from the glamorous daughter of a businessman to a woman who learns to listen to herself. Her clothes are a story of transformation.”

Each of Katya's looks caused a sensation on the set and on social networks. Kuznetsova herself is delighted with the new role and intrigues that Polina will not leave anyone indifferent, because she is waiting for numerous metamorphoses and a search for herself.

Pregnant Tatyana Malkova

For Tatyana Malkova, the role in "Probation" was the absolute opposite of her previous film works. In the frame, she appears with a noticeably rounded belly, and plays the role of her namesake - Tanya, without whom the office would definitely come to a standstill. She always knows when it's time for coffee and a good conversation. Malkova admits that it was not difficult to get used to the role, because she is going through the path of motherhood and perfectly understands how pregnant women behave and what range of emotions a woman can experience in this state.

With a four-legged tail on the set

During all the filming days, Kirill Parastayev's companion on the set was Maya, an English Cocker Spaniel puppy. Kirill took her just before the start of filming, when he was looking for a room for a creative studio:

"I started looking at different puppies, because at the beginning of the full-scale war I promised myself that I would get a dog someday. Everyone discouraged me, for some time I didn't dare. And now everyone says that this is my best decision. So. I looked at griffons, but by chance I came across cocker spaniels, and at number 11 I saw Maya. She came to me from Chernivtsi still very tiny, she fit in the palm of my hand, she was only a month and a half old. Now she is a four-month-old predator who thinks that she is the main one," Kirill noted.

Maya was so loved by the whole team that they even shared a name with the actor's on-screen niece and became the heroine of Kirill's stories and interviews.

Star cameo and stunt double

One of the brightest moments of the filming was the invitation to the set of a star guest, whose name the creators have not yet revealed have a secret. It all started with the fact that the artist's schedule did not coincide with the filming schedule - and the team even assigned a stunt double from the cast so as not to lose the scene. As a result, the shooting was still organized, and the moment when the star and his stunt double met in the frame became one of the funniest behind-the-scenes episodes of the film.

"It was such a comical and at the same time surreal moment that even the technical team could not hold back their laughter," recalls the casting director.

The atmosphere on the set

The filming took place in Kyiv - in office locations, city streets and even on a roof with a panoramic view of the capital. The team was lucky: air raids and shelling could not disrupt the process.

In addition to beautiful shots of warm Kyiv, viewers will be treated to vivid scenes that are an integral part of office life: from project presentations, quarrels and arguments to concerts and corporate parties. And all this is decorated with humor and self-irony.

The project team tells even more exclusive details on the film's social networks. It will only get more interesting, so subscribe to Instagram, Facebook and TikTok of the "Probation" film!

The film is produced by 1+1 Media together with the SFERA FILM production team. The film is produced by Anna Gonchar, head of investment and partnership projects of the 1+1 Media Television Business, and Dmytro Safanovsky. The author of the script is Yevhen Burgela, and the director is Iryna Gromozda. The film is distributed in Ukraine by B&H Film Distribution.

The premiere of "Probation" in Ukrainian cinemas is in January 2026.

Project partners:

General partner — Bolt

Partner — International beauty brand Lamel