Multi-talented Yury Olshansky, was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and graduated from Volkov’s Theater Institute in acting, directing, and teaching. A US citizen and a member of SAG/AFTRA, he received an MFA in Film Production from New York University and has worked with renowned directors, such as Paul Mazursky and Cedric Klapish, and actors Robin Williams and Gérard Depardieu. For his performance in the film “Whiter than Snow”, directed by Spyros Vrettos, Olshansky received a Silver Award for “Best Actor in a Drama” at the 2024 Best Actors & Directors Awards in New York. He has written books of prose and poetry and created the “Olshansky Method”, an innovative approach for actors, film directors and writers in preparing screenplays and interpreting characters in readiness for filming. (see more information in CV below). He is the founding member of Soccorso Clown, an Italian non-profit Performing Arts Organization working with sick children and the elderly, and has appeared on all major Italian TV channels as performer and spokesperson for Soccorso Clown.