08-11-2018

FNE at Connecting Cottbus 2018: 9th Step

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    COTTUBS: Lithuania for the first time is represented by two projects at Connecting Cottbus, running 8 and 9 November 2018. The first is presented by IN SCRIPT's producer Lukas Trimonis and director Irma Puzauskaite, making her feature film debut with 9th Step.

    The title refers to the 9th Step in the Alcoholics Anonymous programme, which requires a recovering alcoholic to make amends. In this case it is 36-year-old Linas, who tries to reconnect with his teenage daughter, but instead is in danger of developing a relationship with his daughter’s best friend.

    The project, planned as a 90-minute coming-of-age-film, participated in the Ekran+ programme, after which it signed a preliminary production memo with Wajda Studio. The 500,000 EUR production has 24,000 EUR in place and received a development grant from the Lithuanian Film Centre and is supported by Association LATGA.

    Trimonis represented Lithuania at the 2018 Producers on the Move in Cannes. Puzauskaite moved to directing after working for Creative Europe MEDIA and the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture.

    The project has an award-winning Polish DoP attached, Jacek Podgorski, along with the lead actor, Valantinas Novapolski. The project will spend 2019 closing the financing, with production planned for 2020 and release of the film in 2021.

    The producers are seeking coproducers and sales agents.

    Production information:

    IN SCRIPT (Lithuania)

    Credits:
    Director: Irma Pazayskaite
    Script: Egle Vertelyte
    DoP: Jacek Podgorski
    Producer: Lukas Trimonis
    Cast: Valintinas Novapolski