The following projects from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were presented at the works-in-progress showcase:
Goodbye Soviet Union (Estonia, Finland)
The Estonian/Finnish coproduction Goodbye Soviet Union tells a coming-of-age story of Johannes, who grows up during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The director Lauri Randla has previously directed short films, which have won several international awards. The current project is Randla’s first full-length feature. The film’s budget is 1,250,000 EUR and it will be completed in 2020.
The film’s funding was supported by the Estonian Film Institute, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Eurimages, the Finnish Film Foundation and YLE (Finland).
The film is produced by Exitfilm (Estonia) and Bufo (Finland). Goodbye Soviet Union is currently looking for sales agents.
Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway (Spain, Estonia, Ethiopia)
Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway is an experimental sci-fi thriller directed by Miguel Llanso. It’s Llansó’s second feature film. His first feature film, Crumbs, produced by BiraBiro Films (Ethiopia) and Lanzadera Films (Spain), was screened at over 100 festivals.
The director said at the presentation that with Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway, they want to follow the same path. The film’s budget is 250,000 EUR, of which 200,000 EUR is in place. The film will be completed in 2019.
The film’s funding was supported by the Estonian Film Institute and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia. It’s a coproduction between Lanzadera Films (Spain) and Alasti Kino (Estonia). They are currently looking for sales agents.
Rain (Estonia, Poland)
The Estonian/Polish coproduction Rain follows the life of a dysfunctional family living in a small village.
Rain is the first feature film by Janno Jürgens, who previously directed short films. With the current project, Jürgens follows the topics he has covered in his shorts films. Rain’s budget is 533,000 EUR, of which 433,000 EUR is in place. The film will be completed in 2019.
Rain’s funding was supported by the Estonian Film Institute and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia. It’s a coproduction between Alasti Kino (Estonia) and Furia Film (Poland). They are currently looking for sales agents and festivals.
Sandra Gets a Job (Estonia)
Sandra Gets a Job is about a young, socially awkward doctor Sandra, who loses her job. The drama follows Sandra’s search for a new job. The film’s producer Anneli Ahven said at the presentation, that for those who have been in a similar situation, the film feels like it's a tragedy; for others, it’s a comedy.
The director, Kaupo Kruusiauk has previously directed a number of shorts and documentary films. Sandra Gets a Job is his debut feature. The film’s budget is 475,000 EUR, of which 390,000 EUR is in place. The film will be completed in 2019.
The film’s funding was supported by the Estonian Film Institute and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia. Sandra Gets a Job is produced by Estonian production company Kopli Kinokompanii. The film is looking for sales agents, festivals and post-production partners, especially a composer and a sound-designer.
Truth and Justice (Estonia)
Based on the novel by the same name, Truth and Justice follows a complex relationship between two neighbours, who lived in the 19th century.
It’s the first feature by the Tanel Toom, who has previously directed short films, which have been successful all over the world. He was also nominated for an Oscar in the Best Live Action Short category at the 83rd Academy Awards. The budget for Truth and Justice is 2,430,000 EUR. It will be completed in 2019.
The film’s funding was supported by the Estonian Film Institute. Truth and Justice is produced by Allfilm. The project is currently looking for international sales and festivals.
Dogs Don’t Wear Pants (Finland, Latvia)
The Finnish/Latvian coproduction Dogs Don’t Wear Pants is a bittersweet, darkly humorous drama about loss and recovery.
The director, J-P Valkeapää is an awarded Finnish film director. His films have been to festivals such as Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Venice and Toronto. Dogs Don’t Wear Pants is Valkepää’s fourth full-length feature. The film’s budget is 1,670,000 EUR, of which 1,430,000 EUR is in place. The film will be completed in 2019. The film’s funding is supported by the Finnish Film Foundation.
Dogs Don’t Wear Pants is a coproduction between Helsinki-filmi (Finland) and Tasse Film (Latvia). The project’s currently looking for international distribution and festivals.
Maria’s Paradise (Finland, Estonia)
The Finnish/Estonian coproduction takes us back to 1920’s, to the life of Maria Åkerblom, who was a charismatic cult leader. The film is based on real-life events.
Maria’s Paradise is directed by the Finnish director Zaida Bergroth, who noted at the presentation, that like her other films, Maria’s Paradise also circles around complicated individuals. Maria’s Paradise is her fourth full-length feature film. The film’s budget it 1,700,000 EUR and it will be completed in 2019.
Maria’s Paradise’s funding was supported by the Estonian Film Institute and the Finnish Film Foundation. The film is produced by Elokuvayhtio Komeetta (Finland), Stellar Film (Estonia) and Kaiho Republic (Finland). Maria’s Paradise is looking for distribution and festivals.
24 Hour Sunshine (Latvia)
The Latvian drama comedy 24 Hour Sunshine follows a businessmen Martin, who decides to make a fresh start and goes to the North Pole.
The film is directed by Juris Poskus, who has made several full-length documentaries and internationally successful feature films. His work is often filled with irony and humour. 24 Hour Sunshine will be finished in 2019. The film’s budget is 800,000 EUR, of which 665,000 EUR is in place.
The film’s funding is supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia. 24 Hour Sunshine is produced by FA Filma. They are currently looking for coproducers, sales agents and distribution.
City on the River (Latvia, Czech Republic, Lithuania)
The main character in City on the River is a sign-painter who has to work under different authoritarian regimes. Through his personal life, this historical drama opens up the difficulties and absurdities of the past. Director Viesturs Kairišs has previously directed documentaries as well as feature films.
The budget for City on the River is 1,500,000 EUR, of which 1,250,000 EUR is in place. The project will be completed in 2019. The film’s funding is supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Czech Film Fund and the Lithuanian Film Centre.
The film is produced by Ego Media (Latvia), 8Heads Productions (Czech Republic) and Artbox (Lithuania). They are currently looking for distributors, sales agents and festivals.
The Flood Won’t Come (Lithuania)
The Flood Won’t Come is a war drama, but without a specific time frame or country. Through the post-apocalyptic atmosphere, the film asks questions about humanity.
It’s the first feature of the Armenian-born director Marat Sargsyan, who has previously directed shorts and documentaries. The budget for The Flood Won’t Come is 757,000 EUR, of which 719,150 EUR is in place. The film will be completed in 2019.
The film’s budget is supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre. The Flood Won’t Come is produced by Tremora. They are currently looking for sales agents and festivals.
