The film focuses on a number of characters gathered in the boarding house Vietinghoff Palace, in rural Latvia. The place, reconstructed in the style of the 1930s, is supposed to be an escape from their daily lives. Upon entry, guests have to put aside their communication devices and immerse in the atmosphere of the palace. The tone of ambiguous comedy is present through the surrealistic and grotesque situations experienced by the characters.
“Many things that we do not express in words or deeds, manifest in our fantasies; and paradoxically enough they reflect our true self more vividly than the daily routine. Fantasy is Nature’s gift able to embellish the dullness of existence. It is filled with Romance, Drama, Pause and Grotesque. The world of fantasy is dual and beyond the grasp of the mind. However it governs our life at a greater extent than we can imagine,” Pashkevich said.
Pashkevich graduated from Russia’s VGIK film school in 1978. He founded the production company Nida Filma in 2000. His internationally awarded 2012 film Gulf Stream Under Iceberg (2012) won the best film and best director prizes at the Latvian National Film Awards.
The film has an international cast from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Russia. It is produced by Yevgeny Pashkevich at Nida Filma, and coproduced by Roberts Vinovskis at Locomotive. The film is supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia with 530,000 EUR and State Culture Capital Foundation with 30,000 EUR. The total budget is 782,745 EUR.
Production information:
Nida Filma (Latvia)
Locomotive (Latvia)
Credits:
Director: Yevgeny Pashkevich
Screenwriter: Yevgeny Pashkevich
DoP: Andrejs Rudzāts
Production Desinger: Jurģis Krāsons
Costume designer: Keita
Make-up artist: Ilze Trumpe
Cast: Severija Janusauskaite, Leonid Yarmolnik, Leonardas Pobedanoscevas, Kart Tammjerv, Gundars Abolins, Inese Pudza, Gatis Gaga, Aigars Apinis, Merle Palmiste
Producer: Yevgeny Pashkevich
Coproducer: Roberts Vinovskis
