WestEnd Films has just released the international trailer of Rezo Gigineishvili’s Hostages, which received rave reviews at this year’s Berlinale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apVZcaujlGs

WestEnd has sold the rights of HOSTAGES to France (Kinovista - who has released the film yesterday), Scandinavia (Lucky Dogs), Italy (Merlino), Spain (Karma - who will be releasing the film on Sept 1st), Eastern Europe Pay TV (HBO) and China (Jushi).

A moving story of youth, freedom and rebellion, Hostages is based on the true story of a dangerous plot to escape the Soviet Union, as a young couple and their friends seek a life away from their parents and beyond the realms of Soviet control.

The film is produced by Rezo Gigineishvili through NEBO Film Company, Mikhail Fenogenov from Russia, independent Georgian producer Tamara Tatishvili, Vladimer Katcharava through Georgia’s 20 Steps Productions, in association with Ewa Puszczynska (Academy Award Winner Ida) through Poland’s Extreme Emotions and Boris Frumin. Among the film’s crew figures editor Jaroslaw Kaminski (Ida).

The film will soon be screening at the Sarejevo Film Festival, and is also part of the line-ups of the Melbourne Film Festival and New Zealand Film Festival.

WestEnd is handling world sales of the film.

Find out more about the film: http://www.westendfilms.com/screeners/hostages.html

Synopsis
Soviet Georgia, 1983. Preparations for Nika and Ana's wedding are in full swing and it's a big day for both of their elite families. For the newlyweds and their friends, however, the celebrations are in fact part of a cover-up, as they plot an audacious escape from the Soviet Union. They plan to flee their claustrophobic daily lives, discover the free world and break out from their parents' stifling worldview. 

The day after the wedding, Nika and Ana decide to move forward with their riskiest plan yet: hijacking a local flight from Tbilisi to Batumi and forcing it to land in Turkey, the closest country to Georgia that isn't part of the Eastern Block. But as the plane leaves the ground and the pressure quickly rises, nothing goes as planned for these amateur would-be hijackers.

WestEnd Films is a dynamic London-based international sales and feature film financing company. It offers filmmakers finance, production and sales expertise as well as an extensive network of contacts across all sectors of the industry.

In addition to HOSTAGES, WestEnd’s current line-up includes THE BREADWINNER (world premiere at TIFF) by Nora Twomey (co-director of Academy Award nominee THE SECRET OF KELLS) produced by Cartoon Saloon and executive produced by Angelina Jolie, GRACE JONES : BLOODLIGHT AND BAMI by Sophie Fiennes (world premiere at TIFF), FLAMMABLE CHILDREN, a comedy by Stephan Elliott, starring Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce, CLOSE an action-thriller starring Noomi Rapace directed Vicky Jewson, by SERGIO & SERGEI, a comedy by Ernesto Daranas, from the producers of MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, DENMARK a comedy/drama starring Rafe Spall, directed by Adrian Shergold, SERIAL DATER a comedy starring Imogen Poots directed by Jena Friedman, MULES an Icelandic thriller directed by Börkur Sigthorsson and produced by Baltasar Kormákur, SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD, a witty and spirited comedy starring Joe Manganiello, Sasha Lane and Ellar Coltrane, written and directed by critically acclaimed director Stephen Kijak, SAVING MUM a French comedy by Eloise Lang starring Camille Cottin and Miou-Miou, SATURDAY CHURCH a musical by Damon Cardasis, and OLD BOYS a comedy by Toby MacDonald, starring Alex Lawther and Pauline Etienne.

For further information please contact:
WestEnd Films -  +44 (0) 207 494 8300
Or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..