Developed over two and a half years between London and Kyiv, the series was created by filmmaker and showrunner Yuriy Dvizhon in collaboration with the Olena Pinchuk Foundation, which has worked for more than 20 years to promote sexual education and open, informed conversations around sexuality in Ukraine. The project was also supported by British luxury brand Aspinal of London.
Alongside its streaming premiere on MEGOGO, The First Time will receive a regular linear run on MEGOGO MUSIC, while extended podcast editions of its celebrity conversations will be released across major audio platforms.
Combining comedy, puppetry and evidence-based sex education, the format centres on Niko, a puppet developed with puppet studio Talk to the Hand, whose credits include Mongrels, Yonderland and That Puppet Gameshow. Niko is voiced by Anna Lev, the official Ukrainian voice of Bart Simpson.
Filmed inside the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, the show is co-hosted by social-media personality TUMAZAR, who leads candid conversations with guests. Niko brings a more unconventional approach, asking direct and unexpected questions, while the library itself acts as an additional narrative voice providing facts and expert context.
Episodes also move outside the studio with street interviews and Niko’s comedic internal monologues. The programme’s visual identity and graphic design were created by Seoul-based designer Will Lim.
The First Time tackles subjects including relationships, body image, sexuality and self-acceptance. Guests include Ukrainian war veteran and double amputee Oleksandr Teren, who became the lead of the 13th season of Ukraine’s version of The Bachelor. In the series, Teren discusses intimacy and adapting to his body following the combat injury that resulted in the loss of both legs.
Conceived from the outset as an internationally adaptable format, The First Time brings together Ukrainian talent with international partners and collaborators. The project has also been selected for state co-financing towards a second season through Tysiachovesna, Ukraine’s national cultural support initiative.
Dvizhon Studios was founded by Yuriy Dvizhon, an award-winning Ukrainian filmmaker and showrunner based in London whose work spans documentary entertainment and scripted development, with a particular focus on identity, sexuality, class and politics.
A Kyiv Post “Top 30 Under 30” laureate and an IDFA Academy alumnus, Dvizhon has presented projects at industry and festival platforms including Series Mania, Berlinale Talents Sarajevo, Tallinn Black Nights, Stockholm International Film Festival and Serial Killer. His recent credits include Marriage (In)Equality in Ukraine (2023) and Pride Is Not Available In Your Region (2022).
With more than a decade of experience across television, documentaries, music videos and social-impact campaigns, Dvizhon is now developing a broader slate of entertainment, scripted and documentary projects through the newly launched studio.
Yuriy Dvizhon, Creator and Showrunner of The First Time, and Founder of Dvizhon Studios, says: “I was directing much of this show from London while our team in Kyiv kept production moving, through blackouts and repeated Russian missile and drone attacks. It was a strange contrast: we were making a show about how people connect, while Ukraine was living through a full-scale war. I’m proud that what started as a much smaller educational idea grew into a full-scale entertainment format with its own voice, visual world and characters.”
Maria Panchenko, Content Director at MEGOGO, adds: “It is important for us to support initiatives that have a genuine social impact. The First Time offers a unique combination of entertainment and an important educational subject. We are pleased to give our audience the exclusive opportunity to be the first to watch a show that creates a safe space for open conversations about healthy relationships and self-acceptance.”
English Language Trailer: https://vimeo.com/dvizhonstudios/thefirsttimeshow
