EASTERN EUROPE Production listings - Jan 26 2004

ELIZABETH AND KLODIL (ELIZAVETA I KLODIL)
(Krug Film Studio) Co-prod: Mosfilm (Russia) Backer: Service of Cinematography of the Russian Ministry of Culture. Adventure film about two 15-year old girls - Russian and French - who run away from their families and go to one of the resorts in the South of France where they experience their first love adventures. Dir: Sergey Solovjev. Scr: Sergey Solovjev. DoP: Pavel Lebeshev.
Contact: Fedor Popov, Krug Film Studio, (7) 095 938 2312

FELINE (KOSHKA)
(RS-TV Studio) Co-prod: Mosfilm. Passionate love story about a girl whose boyfriend leaves her. She tries to get him back at any price, goes through all the stages of love - happiness, jealousy, hatred, thirst for revenge - but in the end she realises that she is happy just because her man exists. Prod: Yuri Morozov. Dir: Yuri Morozov, Aleksander Karpilovsky. Scr: Zoya Kudrya, Yuri Morozov.
Contact: Svetlana Frichinskaya, Mosfilm, (7) 095 143 9500

THE FINAL JOURNEY (POSLEDNEE PUTESHESTVIE)
(SOKOL) Co-prod: VIDEFCO (US) Budget: $70m. Drama about the last cosmonaut who refuses to leave the space station and starts transmitting global messages pleading for the world peace. Based on the novel by Chingiz Aimatov 'The Mark Of Cassandra'. Prod: John Daly (UK) Dir: Yury Kara. Cast: Vladimir Steklov.
Contact: Yury Kara, SOKOL, (7) 095 745 8810

HIROHITO
(Lenfilm Studio) Drama about life of the Japanese Emperor Hirohito. Dir: Alexander Sokurov. Scr: Alexander Sokurov.
Contact: Alexander Pozdnyakov, Lenfilm Studio, (7) 812 326 8224

THE HOUSE (DOM)
(Rock Film Studio) Drama based on the true story of young women who were sent to brothels in the Northern regions of Russia to entertain the Allied army that guarded polar convoys. Dir: Alexey Uchitel. Scr: Alexander Rogozhkin, Gregory Markett, Dunya Smirnova.
Contact: Alexei Uchitel, (7) 095 433 67 78

IN THE SEA AND IN HEAVEN (V MORE I NA NEBESAKH)
(Rock Film Studio) Drama based on a true story set in a Russian seaport. A simple-hearted cook helps an ordinary Russian worker, pretending to be a Russian cosmonaut carrying out a secret mission, leave the Soviet Union. Prods: Alexei Uchitel, Alexander Golutva. Dir: Alexey Uchitel.
Contact: Alexei Uchitel, (7) 095 433 67 78

THE LIGHTHOUSE (MAYAK)
(Paradise Productions) Co-prods: Kinoglaz, Gorky Film Studio, Russian Centre of Youth Cinema, Kirgizfilm (Kirgizia), Kazakhfilm (Kazakhstan) Budget: $300,000. Drama. Three stories are connected by a lighthouse as a symbol of hope, love, salvation and even death. Prods: Pyotr Chernayev. Dir: Alexander Kott, Nurbek Egen. Scr: Ulyana Shilkina, Yekaterina Tirdatova, Alexander Kott, Nurbek Egen
Contact: Pyotr Chernayev, (7) 095 912 3178

9th COMPANY (DEVYATAYA ROTA)
(Slovo Production Company) Co-prod: Art Pictures Group. Film about the Afghan War. Young draftees find themselves in the hell of combat, grow up amid war and die before becoming adults. Prods: Fyodor Bondarchuk, Victor Glukhov, Sergey Melkumov, Stepan Mikhalkov, Yelena Yatsoura. Dir: Fyodor Bondarchuk. Scr: Yuri Korotkov. DoP: Maxim Osadchy. Prod Des: Yekaterina Zaletaeva. Cast: Mikhail Porechenkov, Nikolai Fomenko, Fyodor Bondarchuk. Shooting from spring 2004.
Contact: Yelena Yatsoura, Slovo Production Company, (7) 095 143 9160

POINT OF HONOUR (DELO CHESTI)
(Soyuz Studio) Romantic story about a 40-year-old emigrant who comes to Russia for the first time and is disappointed by what he finds. Prod: Elena Plyasunova. Dir: Fedor Petrukhin.
Contact: Dmitry Zaitsev, Soyuz Studio, (7) 095 147 2310

SHIKOTAN. THE BEST PLACE
(Slovo Production Company) Co-prod: Dinoteriun-film. Budget: $2.5m. Prods: Yelena Yatsoura. Romantic drama with elements of detective story. Dir: Vlad Lanne. Scr: Igor Kopylov, Vlad Lanne. Cast: Ksenya Rappoport, Igor Lifanov.
Contact: Yelena Yatsoura, Slovo Production Company, (7) 095 143 9160

SOLDIER OF THE RING (SOLDAT KOLTSA)
(Studio S) Co-prod: Gorky Studios .Budget: $490,000. Thriller. The Russian national junior kick-boxing team is preparing for the world championship match in Buenos Aires, but one of the most promising boxers runs into trouble with the Mafia. Prods: Nikolai Stambula, Pyotr Chernayev. Dir: Nikolai Stambula. Scr: Nikolai Stambula, Irina Tischenko.
Contact: Pyotr Chernayev, (7) 095 912 3178

SOVIET PARK (PARK SOVETSKOGO PERIODA)
(Slovo Production Company) A parable about a young journalist who gets a chance to live in a park where the Soviet era is reproduced in idealised form. Dir: Yuly Gusman. Scr: Eduard Akopov, Yuly Gusman.
Contact: Elena Yatsoura, Slovo Production Company, (7) 095 143 9160

STATE ADVISER (STATSKY SOVETNIK)
(TRI TE Studio) Co-prod: Mosfilm. A film about a detective from St. Petersburg whose intelligence and quick wit help him to find criminals and cope daily life on the street. Prod: Leonid Vereschagin. Exec prod: Nikita Mikhalkov. Scr: Boris Akunin. Cast: Oleg Menshikov
Contact: Leonid Vereschagin, TRITE Studio, (7) 095 299 0258

SUPERMAN FOR A DAY (SUPERMAN NA ODIN DEN)
(Gorky Film Studio) Backer: Service of Cinematography of the Russian Ministry of Culture. Drama about the first working day of a young TV journalist. Dir: Vasily Fenin, Scr: Vasily Fenin
Contact: Valery Kozlov, Gorky Film Studio, (7) 095 181 0325

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY (VSEM SPASIBO)
(Pigmalion Production) Prod: Sergei Khovenko. City fairy tale. Dir/scr: Dmitry Tomashpolsky.
Contact: Sergei Khovenko (7) 095 953 8761

ZELIMKHAN: CHECHNYA'S TRAGEDY (ZELIMKHAN: TRAGEDIA CHECHNI)
(Fora Film M Studio) Co-prod: Cinema Zelimkhan Studios. Budget: $2.5m. Drama set in Chechnya 100 years ago. Dir: Valery Akhadov.
Contact: Andrei Razumovsky, Fora Film M Studio, (7) 095 254 0136

THE AMERICAN (AMERIKANETS)
(STV Film Company, Tartan Films) Dist: Group Nashe Kino. Drama set together in Siberia involving three people: a bankrupted American broker, an escaped Russian prisoner and his sister - a modest school teacher. Prods: Sergey Selyanov, Hamish McAlpine. Dir: Alexei Balabanov. DoP: Sergei Astakhov. Hair/make-up: Nadezhda Vasilieva, Natalia Krymskaya. Cast: Michael Biehn, Alexei Chadov, Irina Nizina, Valery Todorovsky, Victor Soukhoroukov. Shooting from1 November 2003 in New York and Siberia.
Contact Camilla Summers, David Freed, Tartan Films, (44) 207 494 1400

FOUR (CHETYRE)
(Filmocom) Budget: $600,000. Drama about young people who want to preserve their identities in the world of mass produced relationships. Prod: Yelena Yatsoura. Dir: Ilya Khrjanovsky. Scr: Vladimir Sorokin. DoP: Shandor Berkeshi. Prod Des: Shavkat Abdusalamov. Cast: Marina and Irina Vovchenko, Sergey Shnurov, Yuri Laguta.
Contact: Yelena Yatsoura, (7) 095 143 9160

I WILL COME TOMORROW (YA PRIDU ZAVTRA)
(Angel Film) Co-prod: State Fund (Kanada), George Marshalk (France). Budget: $11m. Drama set in Paris in 1936. Russian emigrant is followed by nightmares about killing a man during the war. One day he finds a book in which this story is described by the dead person. He starts his own investigation. Dir: Alexander Atanessyan. Scr: Vitaly Gulmassyan. Shooting from September, 2003.
Contact: Alexander Atanessyan, Angel Film, (7) 095 923 7475

IT IS DIFFICULT TO BE GOD (TRUDNO BYT BOGOM)
(Sever Studio) Co-prod: Lenfilm Studio. Backer: The Service of Cinematography of the Russian Ministry of Culture. Fantasy based on the novel by Soviet fantasist Boris Strugatsky. Prod: Victor Izvekov. Dir: Alexei German. Scr: Alexei German, Svetlana Karmalita. DoP: Yuri Klimenko, Vladimir Ilyin. Prod Des: Georgy Kropachev. Cast: Leonid Yarmolnik, Yury Tsurilo, Alexander Ilyin, Laura Pitskhelauri, Petr Merkuryev. Shooting in Russia and Czech Republic.
Contact: Victor Izvekov, (7) 812 326 8558

LONG GOODBYE (Dolgoye Proschaniye)
(Film-PRO) Co prod: Mosfilm Studio. Prod: Sergei Soloviev. Dir: Sergei Ursulyak
Contact: Film-PRO (7) 095 143 9100

THE AMPHIBIAN MAN (CHELOVEK-AMFIBIYA)
(Angel Film) Co-prod: DK Videofilm. Int'l sales co: RTR. Dist (Russia): RTR. A fantasy movie about a man who has gills and lives under the sea. General prod: Valery Todorovsky. Prods: Leonid Zagalsky, Arsen Gotlib. Dir: Alexander Atanessyan. DoP: Ugulbek Khamrayev. Shot from 20 March, 2003 till 8 May, 2003 in Cuba.
Contact: Alexander Atanessyan, Angel Film, (7) 095 921 2698

THE GODDESS (BOGINYA)
(Bogvud - Kino) Budget: $2m. A love story. Investigator Faina delves into an interesting and complicated case about missing girl. Prods: Renata Litvinova, Elena Yatsura, Sergei Melkumov. Dir: Renata Litvinova. Scr: Renata Litvinova. DoP: Vlad Opeliants. Musik: Igor Vdovin. Cast: Renata Litvinova, Victor Soukhoroukov, Maxim Soukhanov, Svetlana Svetlichnaya.
Contact: Stas Artimovich, (7) 095 143 9160

THE LORD OF THE AIR (POVELITEL EFIRA)
(F.A.F.-STUDIO) Radio helps people to meet each other and brings comfort to the homes of people suffering from the loneliness and insomnia. Prod: Sergei Zernov. Dir: Ekaterina Kalinina. Scr: Natasha Chepik, Ekaterina Kalinina. Cast: Kirill Tetenkin, Maria Shalaeva, Alexei Kortnev, Natalia Fisson, Anton Tabakov.
Contact: Andrei Bobylev, (7) 095 143 9160

MAN'S SEASON (MUZHSKOY SEZON)
(Private Cinema Group) Co prods: PROFILM, ROSPO, Krug Film Studio. Action film based on Brian de Palma film The Untouchables. Six friends from special forces struggle against mafia. Prods: Alexei Petrukhin, Andrey Chistyakov. Dir: Din Makhamatdinov. Scr: Din Makhamatdinov. DoP: Sergei Machilsky. Cast: Valentin Gaft, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Natalia Gudkova, Andrey Zaikov, Igor Artashonov. Shot in Russia, Kazakhstan and Estonia.
Contact: Fedor Popov, Krug Film Studio, (7) 095 143 9289

MY STEP-BROTHER IS FRANKENSTEIN (MOY SVODNY BRAT FRANKENSTEIN)
(REKUN -TV) Psychological drama. The news about the existence of a grown-up son shatters a peaceful Moscow family. Prod: Leonid Yarmolnik, Dir: Valery Todorovsky, Scr: Gennady Ostrovsky. Music: Alexei Aigi. Cast: Leonid Yarmolnik, Elena Yakovleva, Daniil Spivakovsky.
Contact: Sasha Bourova, (7) 095 143 9725

OURS (SVOI)
(Slovo Production Company) Budget: $2m. Prod: Yelena Yatsoura, Sergei Melkumov. Action film. August 1941, Russia: three men have escaped from captivity. Dir: Dmitry Meskhiev. Scr: Valentin Chernykh. DoP: Sergei Machilsky. Cast: Bogdan Stoupka, Sergei Garmash, Konstantin Khabensky, Fedor Bondarchouk, Mikhail Evlanov.
Contact: Yelena Yatsoura, Slovo Production Company, (7) 095 143 9160

PALE HORSE (BLEDNAYA LOSHAD)
(Mosfilm Cinema Concern) Backer Russian Ministry of Culture. Story about the first terrorist, based on the novel by Boris Savinikov, leader of the Social Revolutionary Party which assassinated the Russian Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovitch in 1905. Dir: Karen Shakhnazarov. Scr: Alexander Borodyansky. DoP: Vladimir Klimov. Music: Anatoly Kroll. Cast: Andrey Panin, Ksenia Rappoport, Anastasia Makeeva. Shot from autumn 2003 until spring 2004.
Contact: Svetlana Frichinskaya, Mosfilm, (7) 095 143 9500

SHANTYTOWN BLUES (ANGEL NA OBOCHINE)
(Netski Production Company) Backer: Ministry of Culture of Russia. A young boy lives in a small worker's neighbourhood. Nobody knows, except for the local criminal boss, that he was born a musician. Prod: Arnold Guiskine. Dir. Svetlana Stasenko. DoP: Irina Uralskaya. Prod. Des: Alexei Nazarov. Cast: Mikhail Yefimov, Vasily Lykshin, Yuri Tsurkan, Gennady Nazarov, Andrei Yegorov. Shot from spring till autumn 2003.
Contact: Arnold Guiskine, Netski, (7) 095 974 5230

25 DEGRES EN HIVER (ZIMNYAYA ZHARA)
(STV Film Company) Dist: Group Nashe Kino. Romantic drama. Two people meet in the streets of Brussels: a Ukrainian girl Sonya who is looking here for her lost boyfriend and an unlucky father of small Laura whose wife left them for a better job in the USA. Prods: Marion Hansel, Sergey Selyanov. Dir: Stefan Ville. Scr: Stefan Ville, Stefan Malandren, Pedro Romero. DoP: Valter van den Ende. Music: Tristan Ville. Cast: Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Jacque Gamblen.
Contact: Sergei Selianov, STV Film Company, (7) 095 284 5817

WONDERFUL VALLEY (CHUDNAYA DOLINA)
(Slovo Production Company) Co-prod: STV Film Company. Lyric comedy about tangled relationships between Asian villagers. Prods: Igor Desyatnikov, Sergei Melkoumov, Sergei Selianov, Elena Yatsoura. Dir: Rano Kubaeva. Scr: Rano Kubaeva. DoP: Sergei Astakhov. Cast: Nadezhda Roumyantseva, Mikhail Kozakov, Masha Bekker, Igor Desyatnikov, Shamil Khamatov.
Contact: Yelena Yatsoura, Slovo Production Company, (7) 095 143 9160

BILLE
(Devini) Fiction, family film based on widely known writer's Vizma Belsevica novel Bille, about a little girl whose sensitive heart can not understand the life of adults. Dir: Inara Kolmane, Scr: Arvis Kolmanis.
Contact: Film Studio Devini, (371) 7241688

YOUR EYES IN A STRANGER'S FACE
(Kaupo Filma) In his dream a 78-year old man sees people whom he met at the end of World War II. Dir: Arvids Krievs. Scr: Andris Purins.
Contact: Guntis Trekteris, Kaupo Filma, (371) 7281720

FREE STYLE (STYL WOLNY)
(Perspektywa Film Studio) Co-prods: Vision Film Production,Witwornia Filmow Dokumentalnych I Fabularnych Dist: Vision Film Distribution. A musical about a music school student who is fascinated by hip hop and looking for artistic freedom. Dir: Witold Adamek. Cast: Polish hip hop stars.
Contact: Jarek Kemus,Vision Film Production, (48) 22 839 0753

GALICIAN TALES
(Applefilm) Dir. Dariusz Jablonski. Scr: Andzrzej Stasiuk, Dariusz Jablonski.
Contact: Violetta Kaminska, (48) 22 853 7265/64

THE GORKY SANATORIUM
(Bow & Axe Entertainment) Budget: Euro 2.8m. Historical Drama. Based on the true story of the murder of Polish officers by NKVD agents in Katyn forest in 1940. Prod: Marek Nowowiejski. Dir: Robert Glinski. Scr: Robert Glinski, Dzamila Ankiewicz.
Contact: Bow & Axe Entertainment, (48) 22 854 0777

LILI
(Telewizja Polska SA) Co-prods: Agencja Produkcji Filmowej (Poland), Telemedia (Poland) Comedy/drama about elderly actors who decide to stage Goethe's Faust. Dir: Jacek Blawut. Scr: Jacek Blawut. Cast: Lukasz Garlicki, Leon Niemczyk, Danuta Szaflarska, Irena Malkiewicz-Domanska, Lidia Wysocka.
Contact: Jacek Blawut, (48) 22 547 8167

LOVE IN CONCRETE
(Telewizja Polska SA) Co-prods: ZDF/ARTE, Zyga Films (Venezuela) Love story. Several stories of love, hope, and despair - all taking place on one night in Caracas. Exec prod: Annette Pisacane. Dir: Franko de Pena. Scr: Franko de Pena, Antoine Vivas, Tomasz Kapski. Cast: Lukasz Garlicki, Leon Niemczyk, Danuta Szaflarska, Irena Malkiewicz-Domanska, Lidia Wysocka.
Contact: Annette Pisacane, (48) 22 547 8167

THE MAN FROM THE OTHER SIDE (CZLOWIEK Z TAMTEJ STRONY)
(Applefilm) Drama based on the story by Uri Orlev. Scr: Jasek Gasiorowski, Krzysztof Lang.
Contact: Violetta Kaminska, Applefilm, (48) 22 853 7265/64

MARCUS
(Canal + ) Dir: Piotr Trzaskalski.
Contact: Violetta Owsiana, (48) 22 522 0406

SING ON
(TOR Studio) Dir: Wojciech Nowak. Music film. Dir: Krzysztof Zanussi, Wojciech Nowak. Scr: Krzysztof Zanussi, Wojciech Nowak.
Contact: Irena Strzalkowska, TOR Studio, (48) 22 845 53 03

HEDWIG D'ANJOU
(TOR Studio) Budget: Euros 3.5m-4m. Historical drama (14th century) about the queen child of Poland. Dir: Krzysztof Zanussi. Scr: Krzysztof Zanussi.
Contact: Irena Strzalkowska (48) 22 845 53 03

MIRACLE IN CRACOW
(TOR Film Studio) Co-prods: Katapult Film, Film Production Agency. Dist: SPI Hungary (Hungary) A mystical film about a young man, who is looking for a mysterious book which will help him to bring back to life his grandmother, who died 15 years ago. Prods: Krzysztof Zanussi, Iwona Ziutkowska, Gabor Garami, Ivan Angelusz. Dir: Diana Groo. Scr: Diana Groo, Andras Szeker. DoP: Sandor Kardos. Ed: Agnes Mogor. Prod des: Monika Esthan, Ryszard Melliwa. Cost des: Zsuza Balai, Jagna Janicka. Music: Daniel Kardos. Cast: Maciej Adamczyk, Orsolya Torok Illys, Franciszek Pieczka, Itala Bekes, Jerzy Trela. Shooting from October 2003 in Poland and Hungary.
Contact: Irena Strzalkowska, TOR Film Studio, (48) 22 845 5303

THE WELTS (PREGI)
(TOR Film Studio) Co-prods: Vision Film Distribution, Non Stop Film Service, The Chimney Pot, Film Production Agency. Dist: Vision Film Distribution (Poland) A psychological drama about a young man whose childhood was marked by a domestic violence and who has to learn how to cope with his past experience when he becomes a parent himself. Prods: Krzysztof Zanussi, Iwona Ziutkowska. Dir: Magdalena Piekorz. Scr: Wojciech Kuczok. DoP: Marcin Koszatka. Ed: Wojciech Mrowczynski. Prod des: Ewa Skoczkowska. Cost des: Dorota Rqueplo. Cast: Jan Frycz, Michat Zebrowski. Shooting from 26 August 2003 til early 2004.
Contact: Irena Strzalkowska ,TOR Film Studio, (48) 22 845 5303

MIRACULOUS RESCUE (CUDOWNIE OCALONY)
(Avocado Films) A comedy from the 1960s. Dir: Janusz Zaorski. Cast: Marin Opania, Ewa Kasprzyk. Shot from November till December 2003.
Contact: Avocado Films, (48) 22 851 8440

AND THERE IS HELL IN YOUR HAND (SINU KATES ON POGUTULI)
(F-Setse) Dir/scr: Valentin Kuik. Prod: Reet Sokmann. Tragi-comedy. The story about a man who comes to Estonia where he gets unexpectedly rich but loses his love.
Contact: Reet Sokmann, F-Setse, (372) 601 5983

DOMINOES (DOOMINO)
(Kairiin Studio) Prod: Juri Sillart. Dir: Juri Sillart. Scr: William Aldridge. A David Lynch style thriller set in Eastern Europe where a mysterious man/woman character haunts a Western businessman who has bought a nuclear plant in Estonia.
Contact: Juri Sillart, Kairiin Studio, (372) 652 0182

FORCE MAJOR
(Rao Heidmetsa Filmistudio) Prod: Rao Heidmets. Dir: Rao Heidmets. Scr: Priit Parn. Black comedy which mixes puppet and cell animation techniques to tell a story about a Japanese man who comes to Estonia to take delivery of a film he has commissioned.
Contact: Rao Heidmets, Rao Heidmetsa Filmistudio, (372) 564 0354

SWAMP
(Filmistudio See) Prod: Hannes Lintrop. Dir: Renita and Hannes Lintrop. Scr: Avro Valton, Renita Lintrop, Hannes Lintrop. Drama. A story set in contemporary Estonia about a man from a big city who is forced to re-evaluate his life when he finds himself in the midst of untouched nature.
Contact: Hannes Lintrop, Filmistudio See, (372) 644 6644

WOITKA BROTHERS (METSAVENNAD/METSAN VELJET)
(Hansa Meedia) Co-prod: Kinofinlandia (Finland) Dir: Pekka Lehto. Scr: Beatrix Wood, Jaakko Heinimaki. Prod: Pekka Lehto, Juhani Tamminen. The Woitka brothers, Ulo and Aivar, spent 14 years on the run living in the forest to avoid conscription into the army.
Contact: Pekka Lehto, Hansa Meedia, (372) 646 2566