PITCHING
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PITCHING
CONTENT
То strive, to find
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Rules and Regulations
4
TEAM 6
Experts
8
trainer
12
Projects
14
Burime 15
White Fang 18
The Mystery Of Sukharev Tower
24
The Guardians (The Fifth Rune)
31
Seagulls 39
To Be
44
Spotter
49
Auntie Galya 52
The Exertion
56
Jughi
59
Van'ka
66
Last Minute
72
Program 76
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PITCHING
Anna Gudkova
curator
То strive,
to find
“If you want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans” – I’m not sure if there’s
another country in the world where this saying would better apply. Last year’s
pitching plans looked 100% workable. Who knew that the financing structure
would change so drastically again? Who could have foreseen a new phase of
stagnation in the film industry, with co-production and all its many hopes and
expectations becoming illusive and risky? But here we go again. And it seems
natural to start every paragraph of this text with the word “despite”.
Despite the fact that pitching has already spread practically everywhere in
Russia, it is still in its early stages. In order to make pitching actually work
we would need alternative sources of financing such as private funds, various
types of investment and the above mentioned co-production. None of these
have materialized but despite all the circumstances pitching continues its
explosive growth. It’s easily explained by a great demand for new people,
ideas and stories. There’s no better way to find a partner, who is a professional
and a like-minded colleague.
Despite the fact that there’s no such thing as alternative financing, projects
are still coming to life. Out of nine films introduced at “Kinotavr 2011”, six
have already been shot or are in production at the moment. This looks like a
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great result. The equivalent figures for last year’s projects are smaller, but we
all know that the film industry isn’t fast.
Despite the fact that “The Habit of Leaving”, “Celentano” and “I’m Twenty”
pitched in 2012 met with the approval of the professional audience, directors
have to shoot them almost independently in front of people who decided to play
it safe instead of taking part in the financing or production of these projects.
Despite the fact that annually there’s an impressive amount of new producers
graduating from film schools, only a few of them are able to work in their
specialized field. It goes without saying that most of the projects sent in by such
“producers” are unlikely to make it to the final list of pitched projects. In contrast,
it has become common to get really interesting stories and ideas from nonprofessional teams. It is obvious nowadays that personal experience, common
sense and professional practice are of bigger importance than a theoretical
education. At the same time an education in the absence of everything else is an
impossible scheme. In the current situation talented directors tend to become
the producers of their own ideas – it’s not good or bad, it’s simply the only
way for those who cannot live without shooting the films they feel they have
to. For example, Pitching 2013 is laid out like this: of twelve selected projects,
four were introduced by directors without producers, three were introduced
by producers from unrelated professional backgrounds and only five projects
were submitted by ‘proper’ professional teams of directors and producers (with
a proviso – one of them is a German co-production project).
Despite the producer's eternal dream to shoot a comedy and the audience's
desire to watch one, nobody writes comedies. Even though there were a few
attempts to master the genre last year, this time almost all of the selected
projects are dramatic. It’s easy to imagine these films in the European
cinematographic context whereas their future in Russia looks less certain.
Nevertheless there are projects that will surely attract the attention of Russian
audiences: “To Be” is the directorial debut of the renowned playwright Nana
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Grinshtein (“Piter FM” and “Plus 1”), reminiscent of the legendary Charlie
Kaufman’s scripts in its refinement and complexity; or the poetic parable
“Seagulls” by the young emerging director Ella Manzheeva.
Despite the endless changes in the film production industry and the
constantly changing rules of the game, there are still lots of people willing
to work in this unprofitable, unstable and un-many-other-things field. God
only knows why.
Apparently this is why we still work to develop pitching at the Kinotavr
Festival with the hope that one day quantity will become quality and
revolution will give way to evolution. Who knows, perhaps next year when
the Olympic fever in Sochi subsides leaving in its wake new hotels, cinemas
and international awareness of Sochi and giving a stimulus for future growth
and effectiveness of the main film business festival. In any case it’s always
much more exciting to strive and to find than to give up all hope, even when
the second option sometimes looks more rational.
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PITCHING
Article 1
The Pitching involves the limited in time presentation and defense
of film projects to a panel of experts, guests and participants of the
“Kinotavr” festival
Article 2
Rules and
Regulations
The Pitching has been established by the Management of the
“Kinotavr” film festival to give talented filmmakers an opportunity to
present their projects to an authoritative audience, and to introduce
national festival to a new form of professional interaction
.
Article 3
Pitching is aimed to present new original ideas and projects, to create
new links and contacts between industry professionals, to expand
the field of talent search, to discover new names in order to promote
the development of Russian cinema.
Article 4
Producers and debutant directors can participate in the pitching.
Article 5
Only full-length feature films projects intended for theatrical release
can be considered. Documentary, short, and serial projects cannot
be admitted for pitching. Animated films are accepted only if they
meet
the requirements of theatrical release.
Article 6
Producers and authors of projects from the CIS and abroad, who wish
to create a film in the Russian language and designed for Russian
distribution may participate in the pitching.
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PITCHING
Article 7
Article 13
Any project should match the parameters required for receiving
the status of “certificate of national film”.
The running order of presentations during the pitching is fixed
by the moderator. The presentation of each project should be no longer
than 7 minutes (independent of the number of presenters). Another
15 minutes are reserved for questions and discussion of the project.
Article 8
Potential participants must be ready to submit upon the organizer’s
request any information and documents that confirm the legal and
financial relations with the creative team (contracts with scriptwriter,
director, actors, confirmation of financial support from partners).
Article 14
The information about the authors of the project will be published
in the pitching catalogue.
The organizers of the pitching are responsible for arranging individual
meetings between the representatives of the selected projects
and potential partners. These meetings are scheduled in advance
in agreement with the participants. Upon receipt and confirmation
of individual schedules, the participants are obliged to attend these
meetings.
Article 10
Article 15
Representatives of the projects selected for the pitching will attend
Kinotavr. The project may be presented by one or several people
(scriptwriter, director, producer).
Projects selected for the pitching are judged by a jury of no less than
three people, composed of leading professionals of Russian cinema.
The Management covers travel and accommodation expenses for one
representative of each project (accommodation in a standard twin
room in the festival hotel). Travel is covered only between Moscow
and Sochi. Participants are responsible for their transportation
to and from Moscow. In case the project is presented by several people,
the travel and accommodation expenses of further team members
must be covered independently.
Article 12
Article 16
Before the pitching, authors are advised to attend the lecture of the
trainer, which is specially organized by the festival, or to prepare the
presentation of the project otherwise.
Participation in the pitching implies acceptance of all Articles of the
Rules and Regulations.
Article 9
Article 11
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TEAM
PITCHING
curator
Anna Gudkova
сoordinators
Marina ginzburg
Irina Reger
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PITCHING
Selection Committee
Natalia Drozd
Producer,
CTB film company, Head of the
international department
Natalya Mokritskaya
New People film company,
Producer General
Alexander Tsekalo
Producer,
Producing Center SREDA, co-owner
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EXPERTS
PITCHING
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Aleksandr
Rodnyansky
President of the Film Festival
"Kinotavr"
Fedor Bondarchuk
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
of the Open Russian Film Festival
«Kinotavr»
film director, producer, actor.
Sergey Melkumov
Producer
Non-Stop Production,
Founder and Director General
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Vyacheslav Murugov
CTC TV channel, Director General
CTC Media, Producer General
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Anton Malyshev
Cinema Fund, Executive Director
Vyacheslav Telnov
Director of the Cinema
and Modernisation programs
Department of the Ministry of Culture
of the Russian Federation
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PITCHING
Sergey Selyanov
Producer,
head of the CTB film company
Alexei Riazantsev
Karo Premier film company,
Director General
Vladimir Khotinenko
Film director
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trainer
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PITCHING
Marten Rabarts
From a background in dance and theatre, New Zealander Marten Rabarts
entered the film industry in the mid-80's in New York as an assistant
editor on the Oscar winning short Molly's Pilgrim. Several years working
freelance in production including for LA's Propaganda Films, brought him
into the PolyGram Filmed Entertainment group, when he moved to London
in 1990, working as TV Sales Manager for 'Manifesto', The International
Sales arm of the group.
In 1992, Marten moved laterally within PFE to work as an Associate
producer at WORKING TITLE FILMS, working with among others Sarah
Radclyffe, Tim Bevan and Alison Owen on films including, Priscilla Queen of
the Desert and Derek Jarman's Edward II. He then developed and seriesproduced the film collection Red Hot On Film, a series of TV dramas dealing
with the AIDS/HIV pandemic and including Idrissa Ouedraogo's Afrique
Mon Afrique, with the support of international broadcasters including BBC,
PBS, VPRO, ARTE and TVE, which premiered at the ‘95 Berlin Film Festival.
He also created the documentary Andres Serrano-A History of Sex, written
and co-directed with Dutch Film-maker Brigit Hillenius.
Since 2001 Marten Rabarts headed the Binger Filmlab Programmes
and was appointed Artistic Director in 2004 thru 2012, responsible for the
Filmlab’s Amsterdam based programmes and a broad array of international
incentives and creative partnerships, Including Sarajevo CineLink, Bosnia,
Buenos Aires Lab, Argentina, and Film Bazaar, India.
His tenure at Binger Filmlab included “Project 10: stories from a free
south Africa” (Sundance, Berlin 2004) and many award winning feature
films and theatrical docs include the 2012 Foreign language Oscar nominee
“Bullhead” and four features selected in Cannes 2013, 1 each in Official
Selection, Un Certain Regard, Directors Fortnight and Critics Week.
Marten Rabarts sits on the advisory board of Torino Filmlab, CPH:DOX
Lab, and the Holland Film Meeting, and is regularly invited to sit on Film
Festival and Co-production Market Juries, including the Berlinale Short
Film Jury in 2005.
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PITCHING
projects
ALL TEXTS ARE PUBLISHED IN THE AUTHOR'S VERSION
PITCHING
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BURIME
PRODUCER:
Nikolay Babich
DIRECTOR:
several authors
SCRIPTWRITER:
several authors
GENRE: new genre – “Burime”
RUNNING TIME: 100 min
BUDGET: 10,000,000 Rub
CONTACTS:
Nikolay Babich,
[email protected]
“Burime” project is an experiment aiming to search for new forms of modern cinema language.
A team of young emerging authors and directors gets involved in this low-budget interactive film
using the most up-to-date web and film technologies.
22 directors will participate in the project. Scriptwriters and directors from Russia and abroad are
sending in their variants of plot development of the current episode. “Burime” team chooses two
best different options and brings its authors to Moscow in order to work on their versions. Hence
there will be two versions of each one of 11 episodes – the audience will have to choose one of two
variants of every episode. Consequently, out of 22 directors participating in the project only 11 will
make it to the final cut of the film according to audience’s preferences. 7 episodes of the project are
already shot.
The film trailer, synopsis, characters description, place of action are already available at www.
burimefilm.ru. There are also 12 highlights of the film (called “film rhymes”) that would guide
the participating authors and give them the main idea of the film’s plot and timeline. Pictures of
characters and location (loft) are also available over the website.
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PITCHING
Synopsis
Producer's vision
10 incurable people are locked inside a loft. Each one urgently needs an organ
transplantation to survive. An Anonymous offers them to play a game. He
examined his body and found out that he is completely healthy, all of his organs
are in perfect working order and are ideal for his ill guests. He offered one of his
organs to each participant of his game, but in turn they need to find out who is
the Anonymous and win! Not an easy task, right? None of them knows who he
is, every person in the room might turn out to be healthy.
What do they lay set in stake? If they have mistaken and chosen an ill one,
he would have to die the next minute. But there’s still a chance to choose the
healthy one and the chances grow with every false choice. Is it worth risking
your life now even though you know you’ll have to die in a month?
What does Anonymous risk? His own life indeed… but he really does know
human nature…
What is “Burime”?
“Burime” is a uniting idea that binds film professionals with young, talented
and creative scriptwriters/directors together. It opens new perspectives for all
of those authors who are self-confident enough to take part in creating this
major feature film and are able to draw close attention of wide audience to this
project. The point is to make the project interesting to the people on the early
stages of development when audience can actually influence on the process of
production itself by voting and cheering for authors they like the most.
We are sure that “Burime” as a genre will become an integral part of
international film industry and at some point will have its very own label among
thrillers, comedies and dramas. And for Russia “Burime” will become another
acknowledged national product along with “KVN” and “What? Where? When?”
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PITCHING
Director's notes
Episode 1, Mila Fakhurdinova (Almaty): “Burime is like a breath of fresh
air in the times when everybody thinks there can hardly be anything new in
film industry”
Episode 2, Evgeny Belov (Tumen): “Film industry lives through the new
birth and I want to offer battle against the conventional TV and obsolete
Hollywood which is only capable of sequels and prequels. I’m very fond of
new forms and genres and I don’t want to depend on those major film studios”
Episode 3, Kristina Rabotenko (Moscow): “I would like to come to
the premiere of this international film where I wouldn’t care for what
language I speak or which race I belong to. Language of this film should be
understandable for everyone!”
Episode 4, Yulia Lysova (Nizhny Novgorod): “For me the “Burime” project
is a great opportunity to practice in a real film industry. For viewers this
project is a real chance to influence the film’s development and take part in
its creation”
Episode 5, Anton Zhad’ko (Zaporozhye): “The most important thing for
cinema is (was and will be) a touching story with a thoroughly thoughtthrough dramaturgy. I don’t want to change the cinema language itself, my
quest is to show the best qualities of the story”
Episode 6, Aleksey Dvoeglazov (Krasnodar): “In 5 years time cinema will
just exist anyway. 3D or smells – it doesn’t matter. People adored moving
pictures since the “Great Mute” had been invented”
Episode 7, Anton Aleksandrov (Arkhangelsk): “Burime is a great chance
for young directors to show what they’re capable of and to believe that you
can achieve everything even without money or recognition”
Nikolay Babich
producer and scriptwriter
of the film rhymes
Born in 1982 in Ukraine. Graduated from Dnepropetrovsk national university
of railway transport.
From 2008 works as CEO of “Blockbuster” company which furnishes the film
shooting and production services for corporate clients.
Produced a great amount of video clips and films for the following brands:
Lipton, Calve, Baltimore, Philips, Unilever, Clear vita Abe, Visa.
General producer and scriptwriter of the first corporate feature film “14 days”
shot for the Unilever Company. Unilever International awarded the film as
“Event Of The Year” in 2011.
Creator of experimental online film-project “Burime”.
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PITCHING
WHITE FANG
PRODUCER:
Aleksandr Karavaev
DIRECTOR:
Rishat Gihlmetdinov
SCRIPTWRITER:
Aleksandr Karavaev
GENRE: fantasy, animation, adventures
RUNNING TIME: 90 min
BUDGET: 30,000,000 Rub
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: search of investors, financial
partners for production, partners for
promotion and distribution
CONTACTS:
Aleksandr Karavaev,
[email protected]
Original animated fantasy based upon Jack London’s novel “White Fang”. The action takes place in
an amusing world of ice where humans are pictured from the perspective of animals as mythical
gods possessing mystical powers and huge physical abilities. This story is about a lonely wolfling
grown up without knowing any love or tenderness in a severe land. Despite the fantastic rendering
of the novel, the film’s main plot remains very close to the original. This story of love and adventures
is enriched by a brilliant sense of humor.
PITCHING
Synopsys
Somewhere on the edge of the world the snowstorm has already been raging
for a week. It’s impossible to connect to the rest of the world. All the living
creatures are hiding away in a local fort. Only a pack of wild wolves with their
leader – a red pregnant she-wolf KICHE – is racing through the woods driven
by cold and hunger.
Two drivers – TONGUE and LISTENER – are riding their dogsled on a
mission to deliver the corpse of SENIOR JUDGE of “The Iced World” to the
nearest fort. A brutal criminal called BUTCHER murdered the judge. 12
years earlier SENIOR JUDGE had sentenced BUTCHER to lifelong works
on “The Gold Mines”. BUTCHER fled and revenged judge for all the years of
imprisonment. In order to stay unrecognized he had to mutilate his own face
and now he is supposedly hiding away in the nearby wilderness.
Next night the pack of wild wolves attacks the drivers and their dogs while
they are having a halt. TONGUE is the only one to survive the attack. When
the red she-wolf KICHE is about to tear TONGUE apart suddenly the son of
SENIOR JUDGE appears and saves his life by scaring the wolves away. KICHE
hides in the forest. The son of judge arrived to ask his father’s blessings
before marrying his fiancée MARY.
Having found out about the brutal death of his father, the son takes out a
medallion with MARY’s picture and swears that he’ll stay in these severe lands
until he finds BUTCHER and brings him to justice. TONGUE is badly bitten by
wolves and he obviously won’t live through the long trip to the fort so the son
decides to take him to a gloomy hermit and hunter GRAY BEAVER. Locals
believe that GRAY BEAVER can cure diseases of all sorts. GRAY BEAVER is
reluctant to the idea of TONGUE staying with him, but after examining the
driver he agrees to cure him.
The red pregnant wolf KICHE finds a cave and gives birth to several pups,
one of which stands out among the others – he’s got a fang-shaped patch
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of white fur on his chest. KICHE licks and caresses him, then walks out and
howls on the moon.
MAYOR of the fort appoints the judge’s son as a new JUDGE of “The
Iced World” and asks him to find and prosecute BUTCHER. JUDGE sends a
message to MARY who lives in “The Bright World” saying he has to stay for
some important business. He shows the medallion to MAYOR and suddenly
HANDSOME appears and praises MARY’s beauty. HANDSOME is actually
very ugly and this is why he has got this sarcastic nickname. MAYOR warns
JUDGE about HANDSOME saying he’s a slithery cunning man who runs a
rookery where convicts released from “The Gold Mines” blow off their money,
lose themselves into drinking and eventually go to the mines again. Such a
person cannot have a heart. He sets up cruel fights inciting packs of dogs and
wolves against each other. HANDSOME fashions a fawning smile and humbly
beseeches MAYOR not to badmouth a decent person like him, but instead to
find the BUTCHER as soon as it’s possible and prevent him from committing
another crime. MAYOR requests JUDGE to go to “The Gold Mines” and settle
the formalities for the next party of released convicts. JUDGE can also get the
portrait of BUTCHER on “The Gold Mines”.
MARY in “The Bright World” starts a scandal when she tries her wedding dress
on and reads the letter from JUDGE where he says he’d need to stay in “The Iced
World” for some time without explaining the reasons. She caresses her puppy
COLLIE; the pet snatches away the letter and tears it apart. MARY laughs and says
that only COLLIE understands her. How can she wait for her groom? Why does
he have to be there, is he having an affair there? She wants to find out everything
here and now, COLLIE wags her tail in approval. MARY is a modern fiancée and
she decides that if her groom weren’t there for her she would go and find him
herself. She packs the wedding dress into the suitcase and sets off.
GRAY BEAVER and TONGUE are hunting in the woods. They spot the
KICHE’s cave and see a pup getting out of it. A pack of dogs attack the pup.
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GRAY BEAVER repels the dogs and catches the scared pup. He sees the white
patch on the wolfling’s chest and gives him a name – WHITE FANG. The pup
whimpers and tries to break free. The red KICHE appears from the forest and
rushes towards the men. TONGUE faints from fear. A gun shot rings out and
KICHE suddenly stops on the snow. GRAY BEAVER narcotized her. TONGUE
regains conscience and shouts that she must be killed because she attacked
his friend and their dogs earlier. GRAY BEAVER says that death would be a
paradise for KICHE comparing to what HANDSOME has got in store for her.
JUDGE leaves the fort on a dogsled and HANDSOME stops him right at the
exit. He gives a slobbery grin and offers JUDGE some money and an interest in
his small business. JUDGE promises that HANDSOME would have no money
or business to offer when he comes back. HANDSOME say’s it’s not fair to
place the blame on an innocent person without any logical reason and adds
that SENIOR JUDGE was much more compliant. JUDGE blazes up with anger
and swears that justice would prevail and the likes of HANDSOME would be
drained dry. HANDSOME sneezes and covers himself with slobber. He smiles
and asks for a handkerchief. JUDGE throws his handkerchief at HANDSOME
and rushes to the woods. HANDSOME takes the handkerchief carefully with
two fingers and waves goodbye to JUDGE. Beware of wolves! He brings the
handkerchief to his nose – oh, what a charming noble smell! How sad we
haven’t come to an agreement!
Zeppelin leaves “The Bright Town” and flies towards the snowstorm. MARY
looks through the illuminator. Zeppelin starts to shake and heads straight
into the eye of storm. MARY’s afraid and starts to prey holding her scared
puppy COLLIE tight. She opens her medallion and looks at the smiling face of
JUDGE. COLLIE whimpers piteously.
JUDGE races on his dogsled, heavy snowfall starts.
A pack of dogs is hunting after WHITE FANG around the GRAY BEAVER’s camp.
KICHE is tied to a tree and cannot help him. A young dog LIP-LIP chases WHITE
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FANG and they’re starting to fight fiercely. WHITE FANG breaks away and runs
until the pack hunts him down and forces him into the corner between a fence and
a barrel. He bares his teeth; he has already grown up a bit, but still not enough to
fight back such an amount of dogs. GRAY BEAVER comes and repels the dogs.
TONGUE says that dogs hunt after WHITE FANG because he’s a half-breed, alien
to both dogs and wolves, and that his future doesn’t look like an easy one.
HANDSOME arrives and says that he needs red KICHE again, he’s got some
job for her. GRAY BEAVER sells KICHE to HANDSOME and says that JUDGE has
shown up lately. HANDSOME asks what did GRAY BEAVER say to him. GRAY
BEAVER replies that he just warned JUDGE against wolves. HANDSOME says
that he should better beware of BUTCHER who is hundred times worse than a
pack of wild wolves and GRAY BEAVER should remember about it. HANDSOME
takes leave and drags KICHE in her cage with him. WHITE FANG rushes after
them but GRAY BEAVER holds him back and beats him badly.
Snowfall. The storm begins. JUDGE takes halt, sets up a tent, all his dogs
bunch around him.
HANDSOME is in his rookery. There are lots of cages with hungry infuriated
wolves all over the place. HANDSOME gets out the handkerchief and teases
the wolves. KICHE is in one of the cages as well, she tries to rich out to the
handkerchief. HADNSOME starts to laugh wildly and the wolves are getting
even angrier. He keeps laughing and waving the handkerchief in front of
them. Suddenly he takes out his right arm with a whip instead of hand, all
the wolves start to growl and howl. He keeps waving the handkerchief and
endlessly flaps the cages with his whip, maddening the wolves. He throws the
handkerchief into cage and wolves tear it apart into tiny pieces. With a quick
move he slaps the cage open with the whip. The wolves break free and rush
through a pipe out into the snowy wilderness. KICHE smells the air, snorts
and bares her teeth. She sets off into the same direction where JUDGE went.
The pack follows her with howls…
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PITCHING
Producer's vision
Director's vision
The film will be targeted for a maximum range of international audience (with
12+ age limit in Russia). The highest possible quality of animation is supposed
to deliver an impressing visual appeal and to highlight the ingenuity of artistic
solutions.
White Fang is a character that unites all other characters and events in the
story. His fate goes through the whole movie – from a little harmless pup
he grows to be a mature wolf and eventually becomes an old good friend.
Unlike other screen adaptations of the novel, we added about 50% of new
story lines to the original plot but kept the main points of original fable
unchanged. Therefore we managed to carefully preserve the most important
and interesting ideas that forms the basis of Jack London’s original novel.
Of course, everyone’s thrilled about adventures, humor, love, but we’re
trying to show the deeper idea as well: can love and friendship correct
fortune’s mistakes and overcome hatred in hearts of animals and humans?
Our film “White Fang” will answer this question.
Our creative team constitutes of young animation artists from Russia and
abroad. They have already created a few short animated films, series and
other animation works and they are ready to settle down to work on their
first feature film.
At the moment we appear to be a team of creative people and producers. We
are in search for an investor, distributor and possibly a production company.
There are several options for production. We can consider shooting in
China, Singapore etc. There is also an option of creating a studio for this
project and future outsourcing in Russia. The main thing that matters – we are
hoping to create an internationally valuable product capable to compete with
the analogues from abroad. In our opinion, the quality of artistic solutions,
technical ideas and conception of this film are matching the highest standards
set in the world of modern animation films.
The artistic solutions of the film grew logically from the basic idea of Jack
London’s novel where the world is seen through the animal’s eyes – from the
perspective of White Fang. Humans are pictured as giant gods who hold fates
of the world and the living things in their hands. They tell things what to do
and the things obey – stones fly, sticks beat, even water, fire and air play on
their side. Therefore the original text formed our visual appeal based on the
fantasy style, which in turn lets us depict the world in the new amusing colors
and show new sides of Jack London’s story, the sides that have never been
shown in other screen adaptations before.
In our film animals will look like their real-life archetypes – wolf like a real
wolf, dog like a dog. Whereas humans will all look differently with their own
very special features. Tongue (a narrator, a chatterer, a kind soul) will have
a loudspeaker instead of face with a tuning knob on the place of ear. When
telling something he would sometimes detune to the wrong “wave”, like all
the chatterers in fact. Judges are a special caste serving the matters of justice.
They are born without eyes because they have to be absolutely unbiased.
Instead of eyes they have special glasses with cameras. The glasses also
work as screens showing judge’s eyes. Sometimes the glasses malfunction
and freeze the picture or show judge’s thoughts – this can be the way to build
up a lot of comic or dramatic moments in the love story line for example.
Handsome is a villain with a whip instead of his right hand. His odious laughs
and cruel behavior infuriates and maddens animals. Every human will have
his very own special physical feature that will reveal the individuality of each
particular character. This will improve visual ingenuity of the film and disclose
the story lines that have yet been unseen.
The novel was written in the beginning of 20th century when cars and other
technical innovations had only started to emerge. Backgrounds, technical
items and constructions in this film will be depicted in a trendy vintage
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style. Humans travel on mechanical zeppelins and sleds on air cushions,
use navigators and other technical devices. This will help us create a unique
original world that can really amuse.
“White Fang” as a novel is associated with a certain grade of cruelty and
severity. We are not planning to remove or soften the severe scenes. In
contrary, we want to show parallels with real world and try to find an answer
to the questions – how to live in the cruel and unfair world? How to remain a
human when all the circumstances suggest otherwise?
This film will be made in drawn animation technology. 3D computer
graphics will be used to depict complex panorama views by creating 3D
models and applying drawn textures to them. Characters are going to be
modeled and then outlined by hand on the frame-by-frame basis. Fine motor
activities and mimics will be drawn as a frame-by-frame animation during the
outlining phase. As a result – plastics of classic drawn animation + dynamics
of modern 3D technologies.
PITCHING
Aleksandr
Karavaev
director, scriptwriter, producer
Born in 1979 in Moscow. Worked as
reporter, DOP, took part in scriptwriting
of several short films and TV-series.
In 2008 graduated from St Petersburg state university of cinema and
television (director of fiction films; V. Semenyuk and V. Aksenov studio).
Filmography
2006 – “Children of Europe” – (TV play), scriptwriter, director
2007 – “ Chronicle’s of St Petersburg state university of cinema and
television” – (doc.), scriptwriter, director
2008 – “Old New Rossi” (short), scriptwriter, director, producer
2008 – “Nine Stairwells Together” (short), scriptwriter, director, producer
2008 – “Anna’s Travel” (doc.), scriptwriter, director, co-producer
2012 – “On the block” (feature), scriptwriter, director
Prizes and awards
2008 – d iploma of winner in completion program (Sochi, “Kinotavr’, short film)
“For exquisite cinema language and freshness of author’s appeal”;
“Piterkit” festival Grand Prix and prize for best DOP; Prize of the Guild
of Film Critics and Scholars (White Elephant) “For psychologism and
visual appeal” (“Old New Rossi”).
2009 – G
olden Bear nomination and prize for best European short film on the
“59th Berlin International Film Festival” (“Nine Stairwells Together”).
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PITCHING
Rishat
Gihlmetdinov
director, scriptwriter,
designer, animator
Born in 1984 in Kuybyshev. Graduated from art school and architecture
academy. Then graduated from St. Petersburg state university of cinema
and television (K. Bronzit and D. Vysotsky studio). From 2003 shoots
films. Studied in cinema school in Denmark in 2007. Worked for “Melnitsa”
as a scriptwriter and director on “Luntik” series. From 2009 works on
developing multi-episode projects and scriptwriting for feature films.
Filmography
2003 – “JFC” (animation)
2004 – “2” (animation)
2006 – “The one he loved” (animation)
2007 – “Majesty master blaster” (animation)
2009 – “The Law of Life” (animation)
2009 – “While you’re young. Room 65” (doc.)
2010 – “00.000” (short)
2010 – “The Book” (animation)
2011 – “Cinema 2020” (animation)
2011 – “FPI” (animation)
2012 – “How Much Do 100 Rubles Cost” (animation, TV-series)
2012 – “New Year” (TV-series “Valera” )
2013 – “Translation From French” (short)
2013 – “Business Plan” (TV-series “Valera” )
Prizes and awards
2003 – “Fountain” prize, Piterkit festival 2003, Best debut (animation film
“JFC”)
2004 – Diploma of “St Anna” festival (animation film “2”)
2009 – Piterkit festival 2009, Best animation film prize (“The Law of Life”)
2009 – Suzdal, Best student film (“The Law of Life”)
2009 – Nachalo festival, Best animation film (“The Law of Life”)
2009 – participation in “Short Film Corner” program of 62-nd Cannes Film
Festival (“The Law of Life”)
2010 – Yekaterinburg Cinema Schools festival, Grand Prix (“The Law of Life”)
2010 – Goldfish, Grand Prix (“The Law of Life”)
2010 – “Krok”, Diploma of 2nd place in “Best graduation film” (“The Law
of Life”)
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PITCHING
THE MYSTERY OF SUKHAREV TOWER
PRODUCER:
Aleksandr Gerasimov
DIRECTOR:
Sergey Seregin
SCRIPTWRITERS:
Elena Gabets, Sergey Seregin,
Anatoliy Vologdin
GENRE: historical fantasy
RUNNING TIME: 85 min
BUDGET: 65,000,000 Rub
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: search for partners and
investors
CONTACTS:
Aleksandr Gerasimov,
[email protected]
Moscow, beginning of the 18th Century. Mysterious things happen around Sukharev Tower, in which
a famed wizard Yakov Bruce installed his laboratory. His little student Petya witnesses a strange
magical event. He tries to warn Bruce’s daughter Margo about the danger and gets into the tower.
Children start a fight and accidentally rupture an ancient manuscript, which held the magical powers
of Bruce. Now the wizard cannot defend the town from powers of evil. Petya and Margo go off on
a journey to The Magic Realms to restore the manuscript, Bruce enters a battle against black magic.
PITCHING
Synopsis
Moscow, end of the 17th Century. Peter the First issues an ordinance
prescribing to celebrate New Year on the 1st of January. Magister of
dark magic Violet Wizard arrives to the Tsar’s court under the pretense of
scientist and mechanic. Long ago he used to be one of warders standing
guard over Gates to The Magic Realms. Warders were supposed to prevent
black and white magic from ingression into the world of humans. However
Violet Wizard broke the rules and cleared the way for evil. Earth became
flooded with cruelty and greed. And the worse it got, the stronger Violet
Wizard became. Seemed like nothing could stop him but eventually he lost.
Violet Wizard was banished and Gates were hidden from him. For the long
years of wandering Violet Wizard burnt out almost all of his powers. To
recover he needs to go back to The Magic Realms.
Gates of The Magic Realms are hidden in Sukharev Tower guarded by count
Yakov Bruce, an associate of Tsar Peter and a famed wizard, magician and
Master of Equilibrium. Minions of Violet Wizard – shape-shifters Big Ears and
Dame – try to sneak into the tower. A great magical battle happens in the night
sky over Moscow, Bruce wins. Bruce’s 13-year-old student Petya becomes a
witness of the fight. He hides in the shape-shifters’ wagon and finds himself
in a guesthouse where Violet Wizard stays. He overhears the talk between
the Magister and his minions. Magister realizes that he’s got no chances to
win in a direct battle with Bruce, so he decides to act otherwise. He requests
Big Ears and Dame to abduct Bruce’s daughter Margarita. Then Wizard heads
to Tsar’s reception where he is supposed to compete with Bruce in the art
mechanical toys engineering. The presumable victory is going to help him
gain Peter’s friendly regards, and then he would be able to set Peter against
Bruce and eventually destroy the rival. Magister comes up with a clockwork
cockerel that can do circus acts and play a simple melody on wine glasses.
But Bruce’s toy – gray chicken – turns out to be much better. Bruce wins.
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Meanwhile Petya runs to Sukharev Tower to warn Margarita about the
danger. At the very last moment when the girl has already opened the door
for the disguised minions of Magister Petya manages to push her back inside
and locks the door. Margarita is outraged by the boy’s rude behavior and
doesn’t want to hear any explanations. They start to argue and accidentally
rupture an ancient manuscript that held Bruce’s magical powers.
Bruce realizes that he’s in big trouble. Ha can do nothing without his
power. But after listening to Petya’s story he points out a small detail: Petya
touched the manuscript and it didn’t burn his skin, which means that the boy
is dispensed with a gift of magic!
Bruce sends Petya and Margo to the Magic Realms. In order to rewrite
the manuscript children must find and bring three items: dragon skin
parchment, magic ink made from snake poison and s steel feather of The
Great Griffin. Bruce himself stays in Moscow to guard the tower from Violet
Wizard who has no idea about the fact that manuscript is destroyed.
In The Magic Realms children find themselves in The Desert of Desires
where any wish may come true. But an attempt to get the feather, ink and
parchment nearly kills them. They head to the Shop of Unwanted Goods
where they meet a strange character – a mechanical creature on long legs
that looks like a tin can. The creature’s name is Kubik – the most unwanted
thing of all the unwanted things.
Kubik takes the children to The Iron Town. They repair Kubik’s broken
aunt and fight against Rzhakors. Then the children and Kubik end up on The
Snake Island where Petya has to fight with The Cobra Queen. They become
captives in The Bird Empire. During these adventures Petya realizes that
magic isn’t the only thing he should rely on. What’s much more important is
your own courage, self-confidence and your friends you can rely on.
Meanwhile in Moscow Magister slanders Bruce’s name in front of Peter
the First. Magister is trying to make Tsar send Bruce away so that he could
26
become the owner of laboratory in Sukharev Tower. Bruce defends tower
from the forces of evil. In the middle of the fight Petya and Margo come
back from The Magic Realms. Bruce shouts to Petya that he must quickly
rewrite the manuscript and sign it. Consequently Petya gains magical
power, helps Bruce, defeats the Dark Magister and becomes a keeper of
Sukharev Tower.
In the final scene Bruce organizes an exuberant illumination for the New
Year’s celebration.
Director's vision
“The Mystery of Sukharev Tower” is a feature animation film created using a
classical drawing technology. The film’s genre can be described as historical
fantasy – this is a fairy tale happening in the reality of the actual historical events.
Long ago a mysterious Sukharev Tower overlooked Moscow. In the upper
story of the tower there was a laboratory of a magician Yakov Bruce. He knew
mysteries of the universe and could control the powers of nature. There were
rumors amongst the folk that he flew on an iron bird, invented wondrous
mechanisms and made magic potions from unknown plants.
In reality count Yakov Vilimovich Bruce was one of the most interesting
characterts of Russian history. He was born in Moscow and was of Scottish royal
descent. In the age of 14 spoke 3 languages, knew mathematics and astronomy.
Bruce joined the toy army of Peter I when he was 16. He was climbing the career
ladder very quickly – in the age of 30 he gained a rank of general-feldzeichmeister
and became a head of Russian artillery; he participated in all military campaigns
of Tsar. He was the first person to be awarded the Order of St. Andrew the FirstCalled, the most important award of the Empire. Bruce was very well educated
– he supervised the foundation of public schools in Russia, translated scientific
texts into Russian and produced devices for many researches. During the Great
Ambassade he worked in Isaac Newton’s laboratory for a year.
PITCHING
Among Muscovites, Bruce gained fame as an alchemist and magician. In the
middle of 20th Century, 200 hundred years after Bruce’s death, folklorists still
managed to gather legends about a mysterious dweller of Sukharev Tower.
Historical fantasy is a genre where reality and fiction come together. This
story will be interesting for children because of amusing legends about count
Bruce. On the other hand it will draw attention of children to Russian history,
the period of Peter’s reforms in this case.
Visual solution of Moscow episodes will be performed in a realistic picturesque
manner. Detailed work on backgrounds, precise reproduction of costumes and
household articles will create the veracity of film’s action. It is very important
to fit the fairy tale into the historical reality harmonically. We collected a large
variety of sample materials, did numerous photo shoots of exhibits in museums
of Moscow, St Petersburg, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Suzdal, Uglich.
A part of film’s action takes place in The Magic Realms, where Bruce’s
daughter Margarita and student Petya go on search for artifacts needed for
restoration of magical equilibrium.
The Magic Realms is a whole system of fantastic worlds, a universe with its
own principles of existence. This universe is inhabited by mythical creatures
from a variety of world’s cultures and by originally invented beings. Every
world of The Magic Realms is isolated but one can travel between them under
certain circumstances. This system will be developed in the animation series
and sequels of the film. In this project children go to The Desert of Desires, The
Iron Town, The Snake Island, Empire of The Great Griffin. Every world becomes
scenery for one of the genre situations – quest in The Iron Town, suspense on
The Snake Island and action in Empire of The Great Griffin.
Film’s director of photography Sergey Gavrilov creates original visual
concepts for every world. They are different in terms of color schemes and
plastics. Shifting through those worlds gives a feeling of real adventurous travel
owing to the fact that worlds differ drastically on the general level, not just
PITCHING
in details. The feeling might be compared to the one of a person who travels
from snowed up Moscow and finds himself in hot Beijing or Madrid a few hours
later. Still the details are very important to us so all of the backgrounds will
be thought-through and animated. From simple details like smoke above the
rooftops of Moscow to the unique and complicated mechanisms of The Iron
Town – this creates a truly multi-level dimensional visual impression.
Having gone through all of the dangerous adventures and having found the
solution in the seemingly desperate situation, children learn that magic isn’t the
biggest power in the world. The most important things are friendship, loyalty
and courage. There can be no weak one in a real team, you just need to confide
in your friends and take responsibilities.
Soundtrack for this film will be mostly original. Composer Dmitry Rybnikov
tries to create corresponding atmosphere for the historical episodes and
specific sounding for each of the magic worlds. Some of the episodes are based
entirely on music – mechanical toys scene on Peter’s reception, ritual dance oh
the Cobra Queen, dance of Kubik. Live orchestra will record original soundtrack
for the film.
Main characters’ specification
YAKOV BRUCE – possesses huge knowledge in natural sciences. An all-round
scholar, engineer, cartographer. He’s a master of equilibrium who defends the
world from forces of evil. Still there’s much more humane than mystical to him.
He’s a magician, but he’s not almighty. The magic he performs is based upon
art of mechanics, chemistry and illusionism.
PETYA – 13-year-old student of Bruce, born in a modest noble family. An
orphan. His father was killed in the Azov Campaign. Mother died. He studies in
the Navigation School. Possesses magic powers but doesn’t always understand
how to manage it. Inquisitive and daring, but simple-minded and naïve. He’s not
27
very good at rules of noble etiquette, he’s much closer to the nature and simple
folk traditions. In complicated situations Petya shows real talents in magic and
his fine humane qualities. Petya likes Bruce’s daughter Margo but tries to be
discreet about it. He addresses to her in a very polite way with an exception to
extreme situations.
MARGO – Bruce’s daughter. She’s 10 years old. Margo was brought up close
the royal court so she knows the etiquette very well but doesn’t use it all the
time. She mocks Petya’s plainness and she can easily get in good with him,
which she uses quite often. She doesn’t like to obey the rules and pretends like
they are invented for someone else. Impatient, whimsical and cheerful, she’s
always in search for dangers and adventures. She can always find the guilty one
(Petya or Kubik) even if she’s the one to blame. Touchy.
KUBIK – a mechanical toy with a human sense. Waif and squabble with a
blusterous rough temper. Likes to be in the center of attention and he’s afraid to
be forgotten or unwanted. That is why he joins Petya and Margo on their trip to
The Magic Realms. He might be annoying but he’s often very useful. He’s afraid
of water and likes machine oil. Thinks he is very thrifty and collects all the odds
and ends. He stores a lot of unexpected things in his tin can like body.
PETER I – remarkable, impulsive, dramatic. Even though he only appears in
a few episodes, the main part of Moscow story is based on him. At some point
he has an argument with Bruce as a result of hostile maneuvers and Bruce gets
into a great danger.
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PITCHING
Aleksandr
Gerasimov
producer
A.P. Gerasimov was born in 1966. In 1989 Gerasimov started his work in
cinema by taking part in the organizing committee of the International Film
Festival “KROK” where he worked until 1991. In 1991 Aleksandr was invited
to take the job as the Vice Director of Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and
Directors where he worked until 1994 while finishing his study in Moscow
State University.
From 1994 to 2003 Gerasimov was the head of the animation film school
studio “SHAR”.
In 2000 Aleksandr started to work as a producer in “Master-Film” company.
Since 2006 he is the head of the “Master-Film” holding company that includes:
«Gubernia» fund, movie company «Master-Film» and «Master-Film» studio.
Gerasimov acted as a producer for more than 200 animation and documentary
films. 4 feature fiction films and 1 feature animation film were produced under
his supervision.
Filmography
1994 – “Lion With the Grey Beard” (animation)
1994 – “Libido of Benjamino” (animation)
1995 – “Nyurkina banya” (animation)
2000 – “Shoreline. Nanny” (animation)
2003 – “Medlennoe Bistro”
2004 – “The Flood” (animation)
2005 – “Pakostnik”
2009 – “Holly & Dolly” (animation series)
2009 – “Three kittens”, (animation series)
2009 – “Alisa’s Birthday” (feature animation)
2010 – “Above the city”
2010 – “Zverushki-dobrushki”, (animation series)
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PITCHING
Sergey Seregin
Anatoliy Vologdin
director
Born in 1967 in Shvarts village in Kireevsky district of Tula Region;
Graduated from the Department of journalism of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow
State University. Worked with several publishing companies related to
cinema («Screen for children», «Companion of moviegoer», «Cinema art»).
During 1992-1994 worked at the “Novosibirsk” public TV and Radio Company
as an editor, creator, anchor and director. In 1993 set up animation courses
and a studio on the base of Novosibirsky TV-channel. Since 1996 works at
the «Master-Film» film company. Member of the Open Russian Festival of
Animated Film selection committee.
Filmography
1999 – «Fyodor Khitruk. Profession» – animator, doc.
2000 – «Shoreline. Nanny», animation
2003 – «Shamans' Grand-son», doc
2004 – «Keys to the Time», animation
2004 – «The Last Soviet In Afghanistan», doc.
2005 – «Closer to the sky», doc.
2009 – «Alisa’s Birthday», animation
2010 – «White Brow», animation
scriptwriter
Born in 1951. Graduated from Shukin Theater Institute in 1976.
Actor of the Gogol Theatre .
Filmography
1997-1998 – «Ves’ Etot Sport», «Detroit Five», «Spartak» Cup. Veterans»
(doc.), scriptwriter, director
1998 – «Leonid Filatov. The Love…» (doc.), scriptwriter, director
2010 – «The Sukharev Tower» (feature animation), scriptwriter
2010 – «The Dress Of The Princess Night» (animation), scriptwriter
2010 – «Sailor’s Knot» (animation), scriptwriter
2011 – «The Present Of The Jolly Roger» (animation), scriptwriter
2011 – «The Master And Margarita» (feature animation), scriptwriter
2011 – «The Battle» (feature), scriptwriter
Recognition and awards
1998 – Nomination for TEFI award (film «Leonid Filatov. The Love…»)
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PITCHING
ELENA GABETS
scriptwriter
Born in 1955. Graduated from Shukin Theater Institute.
From 1976 to 2005 actress of the Taganka Theatre.
Since 1992 till present – member of Peter Steins’ International project “Orestia”.
Worked as a director for multiple theatrical performances, shows, more than
forty audio, animation and multimedia projects.
Worked as casting-director for «SoyuzMultfilm» studio in 2007 – 2008 and
«White Sound» studio from 2001 till present, also worked at other studios. Last
work at acting group casting – feature animation film «Kin-Dza-Dza», director –
Georgiy Daneliya.
Filmography
1997-1998 – «Ves’ Etot Sport», «Detroit Five», «Spartak» Cup. Veterans»
(doc.), scriptwriter, director
1998 – «Leonid Filatov. The Love…» (doc.), scriptwriter, director
2008 – «Alla Demidova. Under Make-Up And Mask…», scriptwriter, director
2010 – «The Sukharev Tower» (feature animation), scriptwriter
2010 – «The Dress Of The Princess Night» (animation), scriptwriter
2010 – «Sailor’s Knot» (animation), scriptwriter
2011 – «The Present Of The Jolly Roger» (animation), scriptwriter
2011 – «The Master And Margarita» (feature animation), scriptwriter
2011 – «The Battle» (feature), scriptwriter
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PITCHING
THE GUARDIANS (THE FIFTH RUNE)
PRODUCER:
Ilya Popov, Petr Zaytsev
DIRECTOR:
Nelya Mursalimova
SCRIPTWRITER:
Lev Murzenko
GENRE: Young Adult / Romantic Fantasy
RUNNING TIME: 110 min
BUDGET: 62 000 000 rub.
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: seeking co-financing
CONTACT:
Petr Zaytsev,
[email protected]
Shy and quiet Anya finds out that she belongs to an ancient order of The Guardians. The Guardians
are female warriors that took it upon themselves to protect humanity from evil supernatural forces.
Anya is reluctant and accepts her destiny only to take a horrible threat away from Artem, a boy she’s
secretly in love with. Little she knows, Artem is one of those she’s supposed to be fighting with…
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Synopsis
Spain, 16th century. The fires of the Holy Inquisition devour Pria, a powerful
sorceress of the parallel magic world. Her young son Kiros, already a power
mind manipulator at the age of ten swears to avenge her death. However,
Pria’s ally Leonore puts a spell on Kiros that prevents him from ever leaving
the parallel world.
500 years goes by. Anya, a shy and quiet girl moves to a new city with her
parents. Her family moves around a lot and Anya can’t even remember how many
places did they live in. One day before the classes are supposed to start, Anya’s
mother takes her to see her new school. They fight and Anya seems to have a
strange reaction to the conflict; still, Anya manages to keep it under control.
When school finally begins, Anya desperately tries to fit in yet everybody
thinks she’s “weird”: obviously not a bad looking girl, she acts as if she was
the most god-awful looking person in the world. Anya shies away from
everyone, doesn’t hang out at all. Around her parents she’s nothing more but
polite. The only person she actually talks to is Googlik, a school jester she
befriended on the first day but even he has to keep a certain distance.
Everyone thinks they got her figured out. What they don’t know is that
whenever she gets anyhow emotional something strange starts happening to
her: her eyes change shape and color while her entire face acquires a certain
“beastly” feel. Anya hates herself because of it and tries to avoid anything
that makes her emotions spike. She trusts her thoughts to an online diary
but doesn’t mention her “specialty” rather hinting that feelings turn her into
something else.
A local heartthrob Artem, much like everybody else is totally unaware of
her situation. Subsequently, he’s mighty surprised when every time he tries
to talk to Anya she rushes away from him. Anya fell in love with Artem from
the second she laid her eyes on him but she’s confident that their love doesn’t
have any future.
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In the meantime, Kiros discovers that Leonore’s incarnation is a student in
one of the schools in the city. According to the rules of their magic, once every
500 years any spell can be revoked by the living embodiment of the person
that laid the spell in the first place. Kiros is driven by revenge: in the magic
world the time passes much slower and during half a millennia on Earth
just two decades passed in the parallel world. He amasses a small army of
wizards capable of migrating between the two worlds and enlists a skillful
burglar known as Wasp (Osa) on the human side… their only problem: they
don’t quite know who is it they’re looking for…
Anya manages to persuade herself that the only thing she wants is to fly
under the radar. When the entire school goes off to a massive picnic party
in the country she goes as well under the pretext of not attracting any extra
attention when literally everyone will be there. One thing leads to another and
Anya ends up in a small rowboat together with Artem. Anya can’t swim and
dreads water but she chooses to thrust overboard to conceal the secret of
her “ugliness”; Artem is arrested as the passing by cops interpreted the scene
from the shore as if Artem was trying to take advantage of the helpless girl.
Shortly after Anya meets three girls: Olya, Ira and Shorty (Melkaya). The three
girls possess the same “strangeness” as Anya but don’t seem to be anyhow
ashamed of it: moreover, they’re quite proud of it. The girls tell Anya that they
are – just like she is – The Guardians, regularly reincarnating sorceresses
that protect the humanity from supernatural evil. Each of the girls has her
specialty: a healer, a warrior, an engineer; if Anya is to admit who she’s born
to be and accept her “wild side” she could become a mentalist, the guardian
capable of mental manipulations.
We discover that Wasp knows Artem and they’re accomplices in something.
The guardians are tied with nature so what Anya perceives as ugliness in
reality is a reflection of her magic being. They are supposed to protect people
from all sorts of ghosts and phantoms and Olya, Ira and Shorty carry the torch
PITCHING
with their heads up high. Anya really likes the three girls but doesn’t want
anything to do with helping people: her entire life she was a freak, people
around her treated her horribly and she has no desire to risk her life defending
the humanity that had repeatedly rejected her. Anya’s family had to move
around so much because her “wild side” attracted too much attention.
Amidst this conversation, Kiros’s servants attack the girls. Fighting
alongside her new friends, Anya inadvertently uses her gift for the first time
and finds out that she is hunted, as she is Leonore, reincarnated. Every time
she starts “turning” other guardians can feel it too – this is how Olya, Ira and
Shorty found her and that is how Wasp, who also is a Guardian can track her
as well. If Anya doesn’t accept her destiny and doesn’t learn to control her
inner being she can be found at time and Kiros will surely find ways to make
her lift the spell.
Anya learns that should she be found imminent death would come upon all
the residents of the city including Artem would perish in a giant bon fire. She
still rejects the idea of becoming a guardian but thinking of Artem’s safety she
agrees to undergo a training process.
The girls start teaching Anya how to use her gift. Anya is getting happier
every day and she discovers ways to be near Artem but she still can’t bring
herself get close to him without the risk of “turning”. Wasp is confident the
girl they’re looking for is at the school that Artem goes to but she can’t quite
sense her. She persuades Artem to organize a school-wide must-be-there
party so she can take a closer look at everyone.
Artem ask Anya to come to the party as his date and she finally agrees.
The girls try to stop her as she’s still unstable but Anya choses her happiness
over some games she still doesn’t fully understand. Anya uses her abilities to
make them leave and the girls leave, offended. At the party it’s revealed that
Artem is from the parallel world. When Anya surfaced in the city for the first
time – when she fought with her mother the day before school started – Wasp
33
sensed it and Artem was sent to infiltrate the school and look for suspicious
behavior. He, however never thought of Anya as a potential suspect even
when she acted really strange because he was too much in love with her.
Wasp tricks Artem into giving up Anya and Kiros makes it out of the magic
world. Wasp realizes that Kiros lied to her but it’s too late. The components
Wasp has been collecting all along make up a deadly weapon and Kiros’s
ultimate plan is revealed: burn up the city as demonstration of his might and
then subdue the world to his power. Anya tries to battle Kiros but he’s too
strong of a mentalist. Turns out that Artem is Kiros’s brother but he doesn’t
share his hatred towards the people. Artem sides with Anya but the situation
seems desperate for both of them. Olya, Ira and Shorty come to their rescue
and joining forces with Wasp they defeat Kiros.
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Producer's vision
The current Russian cinema can’t boast too many wide release quality films
for young audiences. Hollywood young adult franchises (Twilight Saga,
Hunger Games) that reflect typical teenage problems in a fantasy setting
are extremely popular. Some local producers try to replicate this success
but usually they go after the visuals of the original, which leads to boxoffice disappointments. We tried to avoid cloning the existing films but raise
the questions that are relevant for our audience. Fantasy is no more than
a wrapping for our story that helps accentuate human relationships.
Our main target audience are young women 15 to 20 years old, e.g. key
decision makers when it comes to choosing a movie (most of the times it’s
a woman that decides what is going to be watched on a particular day). Yet
we don’t want to limit the appeal of our product and position more like Hunger
Games or new X-Men rather than Twilight. Balancing action and romance will
broaden the potential audience for the film.
Personal motivation to see this project come to life is the team’s drive
to create a quality Russian entertainment film. The project has potential
to start a franchise that goes beyond feature films: we got plans to publish
books, comic books and potentially a television series. We firmly believe in a
multiplatform approach as a way to maximize the revenues.
Despite the fact that the main creative team are making their debuts in
feature film, we’re planning to invite experienced cinema professionals. As
of right now the following artists made preliminary commitments to the
project: make-up artist Tamara Freed (Faust, The Stroll, Brother 2, etc.),
composer Ivan Burlyaev (Match, Hooked, We Are From The Future, etc.),
sound designer Dmitry Vasilyev (Stalingrad, Burnt by the Sun 2, Cargo
200, The Sword Bearer, etc.), editor Anna Mass (The Bunishment, Elena,
etc.), digital intermediate colorist Andrey Mesnyankin (The Jungle, August.
Eighth, Yolki 2, etc.).
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Principal characters have already been cast. We’ve tested many young
actors and actresses in St Petersburg, Moscow and Kiev and we believe that
famous faces aren’t a guarantee for a success of a project like this.
Director's vision
The Guardians tell a story of a girl that has a frightening gift that makes her
very lonely, as the world is very cruel to those who aren’t “normal”. As the
story goes on, Anya realizes she’s not alone and that her “ugliness” is actually
a gift given to protect people from evil supernatural forces. Only after she
learns to accept herself she finds friends and a true love and together they
avert a horrible catastrophe.
Relevancy
Our story revolves around the problems that will always stay relevant for all
young people around the world.
Growing up, it’s hard for a teenager to find his or her own voice and every
teenager feels like “they’re different”, or “a little bit like an animal”. Parents,
education, and television – everyone tells them how to feel and indoctrinates
them with the made-up goals, relevant for this consumption-oriented world
we live in. However, every person before he or she becomes one, has to
though a rite of passage made of unbearable obstacles and difficulties.
And it’s impossible to find a teenager today who wouldn’t want to be a
superhero or avert a disaster.
Our story tells them how important it is to stay true to yourself, that
impossible is nothing, that they make their own fate and that it’s up to them
to become their own superheroes!
The Guardians is a sparkling, saturated film that is light on form and heavy
on meaning, the film that is filled with teenage fantasies and adult problems:
choosing your way, setting your goals, telling good and evil apart and getting
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over the difficulties – all these problems are relevant during the difficult time
that growing up is.
Style, genre and form
The Guardians is a young adult modern fantasy. It’s a dynamic and easy-towatch film designed with rock aesthetics and romantic heart.
Style and form are evident in shooting methods:
• Predominantly moving camera (rails, crane, steadycam).
•F
requent close-ups and attention to detail that includes the audience into
the very fabric of the story.
•D
ynamic parallel editing.
•O
verall saturation and high-contrast of the image (general tone is light grey
with vivid bright color accents).
•R
elevant soundtrack (Russian analogues of Death Cab For Cutie, Afrojack,
Biffy Clyro, etc.).
•L
atest trends in props and setting for the young characters (gadgets, video
games, sports equipment, etc.).
•L
atest fashion tendencies with a Brit-rock flavor.
• T he parallel world is all CGI and is rendered in the style of oriental beliefs
(Shinto).
Main characters
Anya – 16 years old, independent, willful and courageous yet sensitive and
kind at heart. She’s a mentalist and is able to control other people’s thoughts.
Eventually she’s destined to become a leader of the group.
Ira – 16, a strong girl, literally – Ira is a natural born warrior. Cynical at
times, her main features are headiness and straightforwardness. Solving
a problem, she can get a little extreme. Not a patient person but easily
calms down.
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Olya – 16 years old, a perfect girl next door. She’s a timid, romantic girl;
has healing powers.
Shorty (Melkaya) – 12 years, the youngest of all yet the most stubborn. She
hates other people’s rules and bans. Needs to see logic in everything.
Wasp – around 16, fearless action-oriented girl, needs extreme emotions.
She doesn’t like to linger thinking about something, which makes her an easy
target for manipulation. She has to follow somebody’s lead: first she fights
for Kiros but eventually sides with the girls. Wasp is an amplifier; her gift is
strengthening the abilities of others.
Kiros – 28, a dark gothic young man, a prince of the parallel world. Kiros
wants to avenge his mother’s death and this quest alienated him from
everyone and froze his heart. He’s a despot and his ambitions leave no room
for tolerance.
Artem – 16 years old, Kiros’s younger brother, a “white prince”. Noble,
valorous, sincere and tender he has no choice but come to the good side.
Cast
We want all the key characters to be portrayed by the young actors that yet
haven’t become media “powerhouses”. It’s important the audience identifies
with the characters and our audience is very sensitive to fake. It’s important
that they watch a movie and see Anya, Shorty, Kiros and Artem – not another
famous face. It’s important they watch the movie and believe our characters.
Despite the constraints of “romantic fantasy” genre we raise a number of
serious relevant problems that can’t be faked. We need to balance out tale
and reality, lightness and seriousness.
Anya – it was important to find an actress that combined talent, charm
and inner drive with a natural mysteriousness. It was important to believe
that she was hiding a secret deep within. One of the ways to achieve it was
looking for an actress with slightly unusual features. She had to have tis
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screen magnitude that has nothing to do with traditional idea of beauty. This
magnitude comes from within, from willpower, character, thought, inner
baggage. We were looking for an intelligent actress that can “think” onscreen.
She had to be able to demonstrate inner strength, as this is very hard to play.
Last, but not least the actress had to be able to channel “the inner beast”
which is important for all of our characters.
Artem – unconditionally handsome but full of elegant, sensual beauty. We
weren’t looking for an arrogant athlete with a sense of style but we tried to
find a delicate, noble, intelligent, slightly melancholic young man – in other
words, a young Alen Delon. He comes from a parallel world and has to be an
“unconditional prince”, utterly unreal that makes the girls gasp.
Ira – she has to have a laughing, cynical look in her eyes and feisty temper.
She has to be a modern all-teen: free, bitter and colorful.
Olya – a delicate blond, pale with gorgeous blonde hair with enormous blue
eyes that are open to the world. She is a “perfect dream”.
Shorty – she’s funny, a tomboy that has a hard time sitting still.
Kiros – given that he’s a “gothic prince” typecasting is ever so important. The
actor must look “royal” with a distinct negative charm and powerful sexuality.
He has to be handsome. The actor has to have a true Shakespearean tempest
going on at all times and posses an enormous screen presence. This isn’t a
one-dimension bad guy, the character has his own truth and his revenge is
very real for him.
Location
The story takes place in a coastal town in modern Russia (composed of St
Petersburg, the area, some resort area and CGI).
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The human world is divided between
• the school (a actual school, ideally a private school with a park and sport
grounds),
• city park with enormous trees,
• city roofs (St Petersburg),
• beach,
• Anya’s apartment – huge and empty,
• Police station.
The parallel world is all CGI – Kiros’s study, portal into human world, his castle.
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PITCHING
Ilya Popov
Nelya Mursalimova
producer
Born February 8, 1978 in Leningrad. Graduated Technology and Design
University with a degree in Interior Design and Modern Humanitarian
University with a Management degree.
Between 2003 and 2010 executive producer of Smeshariki National Youth
Program. Recipient of Russian State Award of 2008 in the Arts and Culture
section. As of 2010 executive producer, Riki Group (projects include Kikoriki:
Team Invincible, Kikoriki TV series, Fixies, PIN-code, Belka & Strelka, etc.).
Since 2012 acts as president of a non-profit Russian Animated Film
Association. Board member of National Children Foundation, non-profit
Association of Youth Industry Producers.
Chairman of a group at the Federal Support Fund for Youth Films. Executive
Producer of Soyuzmultfilm Studio.
Awards and recognition
Smeshariki has been award the Grand Prix of China International Cartoon
and Digital Art Festival in Guangzhou in 2005, people’s choice award at
Cartoons on the Bay in Italy in 2005, Made in St Petersburg Award in 2006
and nominated for Zolotoi Orel film award in 2008. Smeshariki received
a prestigious BRAND OF THE YEAR/EFFIE 2007 and 2008.
director
Born June 19, 1984. First, graduated Russian History Department of Samara State
University, then graduated the Film and Television Department of St Petersburg
State Theatre Academy in 2009.
Filmography
2006 – Forgiveness (short)
2006 – In the gutter (documentary)
2007 – Music (short)
2009 – Behind the wall (short)
2009 – Zdravstvui, strana! (sketch show)
2011 – 2012 Fatum (television)
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PITCHING
Petr Zaytsev
Lev Murzenko
producer
screenwriter
Born November 26, 1982. Graduated RSPU
named after A.I. Herzen in 2005 with a degree in Modern Languages and University
of Northern Iowa in 2006 with a Bachelor
degree in Theatrical Arts.
Born January 24, 1984. Studied audio and visual techniques at St Petersburg
University of Film and Television and then continued his studies at the First
St Petersburg School of Television and Advertisement majoring in producing.
Joined Riki in 2011 as Internet marketing manager.
2009 onwards – executive producer of Russian National Movie Awards Georges.
2012 onwards – producer at Riki Group.
Involved in theatre and film production since 1996. Between 2003 and 2010
partially resided in the United States. While at UNI was an actively involved
with Theatre for Youth programs both as playwright and an educator. Between
2009 and 2010 was a Lead Writer at Garage Games (subsidiary of IAC).
Various acting experience in Russia, Finland, USA and Poland. Between 2006
and 2008 was a film reviewer for St Petersburg Times.
Filmography
2009 – “Do Neba!” (short)
2009-2010 – “Incursion” (game)
2010 – “Piter 39000” (short)
2011 – “Fatum” (TV)
2011 – “Kikoriki: Team Invincible” (animated, consultant)
2011 – “Kikoriki” (episode)
2011 – “Criminal Minds Russian Version” (episode)
2012 – “Kikoriki” (adaptation consultant)
2012 – “Interiors” (short, co-producer)
2012 – “The Hips” (animated, feature)
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39
SEAGULLS
PRODUСER:
Elena Glikman
DIRECTOR:
Ella Manzheeva
SCRIPTWRITER:
Ella Manzheeva
GENRE: drama
RUNNING TIME: 90 min
BUDGET: 29,545,000 RUB
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: search for post-production
partners and distributors
CONTACTS:
Elena Glikman,
[email protected]
“Seagulls” is a parable about love in the modern Kalmykia where protagonists instinctively keep up
old traditions. Love with no words, grief with no tears. “Only wind, sand, rushes and a desire to live
better than others…” These words perfectly set the tone of this story and describe the atmosphere
of Kalmykia’s reality today. Seagulls symbolize souls of dead fishermen and their broken boats
looking for a hope.
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Synopsys
Elza (28) is a fisherman’s wife. Her husband Djiga never cared to notice how
she sometimes left him and came back. Long time ago a young Kazakh
girl Elza accidentally found herself in a small Kalmyk town on the Caspian
shore, then got married to a man but has never become a real part of the
husband’s family.
Elza works as a teacher of cello in a local music school for quite a few
students but she isn’t really interested in her job. She has never been a good
cellist, but her involvement in art gives her a feeling of superiority and a hope
for better fate. Elza wants to change her life and find right place in the world
where her time would gain its proper space.
Locals often go to fortunetellers and lamas to find out what life has in store
for them, but they have no idea that their fate is in their own hands. Only wind,
sand, rushes… and a desire to live better than others.
Djiga’s mother is going to take a loan to organize a decent wedding for her
youngest daughter Ghilyana. Djiga decides to take his chance and put to sea
to raise some money for his mother. People of this small fishing town live on
poaching – they put their small boats out to sea and hope for luck.
Elza’s wish comes true – Djiga disappears forever. The sea took him from
the living. Djiga's mother could see Elza's emotional state for quite some
time and now she is blaming her for her son's death, saying that Elza’s bad
thoughts caused the tragedy.
Elza starts to blame herself. Now that she is completely free she’s got
nowhere to go.
Djiga’s brother Ulan fell in love with Elza long ago, the very first moment
he saw her. He is very worried about Elza and the fact she is pregnant. Ulan
reminds his mother about an old tradition. Long ago all the men were warriors
and many of them got killed in wars. To keep the dead warrior’s children in the
family his wife would marry his younger brother.
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Mother puts Ulan to shame for his attention to Elza. She loses her wisdom
to grief but the news about Elza’s child change everything – she’s not a
stranger any more, she is mother to her grandchildren, her blood, a living
offspring of her dead son.
Ulan brings his fiancée Elza to Djiga’s commemoration. Elza is different
now. Djiga’s death made her start listening to herself, her time gained its
space. Ulan’s mother washes her hands with fire and her glance says she now
accepts his choice. Suddenly a seagull’s scream makes everybody raise their
heads to the sky. A lonely seagull hovers above them. It flies over the canal
and above the rushes to the sea. Seagulls are souls of fishermen lost at sea,
they give hope for the future and life ahead…
Producer's vision
“Seagulls” is a modern story about loneliness, self-searching and at the same
time it’s a parable based on ancient Kalmyk traditions. Weary family life of a
young girl married to a fisherman in a small town by the Caspian Sea. A life
that becomes mundane and unfamiliar. The story is as old as this world. Not
everybody is given a chance to change the flow of life. The protagonist of this
film finds a way out intuitively following the rules of her ancestors.
Kalmykia is a small region of enormous Russia. It is inhabited by a folk with
its authentic culture, traditions, history and language. Unfortunately the life
of certain folks in our country is rarely televised. The last serious film “And
always coming back” telling about the Kalmyk people was shot 20 years ago.
It’s time to shoot the new one.
Surely enough, this film wouldn’t change the whole situation but we want
to make at least the first step. At the moment they are starting to revive
Kalmyk language although it was on the verge of extinction after Stalin’s
repressions. The film “Seagulls” distributed widely will raise the new wave
of interest to Kalmyk language. The film will show the world how beautiful
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Kalmykia’s people and vast steppe can be. I expect “Seagulls” to be a hit of
international festivals and as a result it might have a worldwide distribution.
If Russian cinema market turns away from sole blockbuster orientation and
starts reviving national film business as well this film has a great chance to
become a part of new emerging Russian mainstream.
The script of “Seagulls” gained recognition amongst professional filmmakers
and was published in the “Cinema Art” magazine. Ella Manzheeva’s preceding
short film “Woman Like a Steppe Inside” participated in 20 international film
festivals and was awarded for “Bright national features” on “St Anna” festival,
won the 1st prize on “Formula Mundi” festival in Germany.
Director's vision
We often relate our troubles and misfortunes to the people surrounding us.
Shifting the burden of our failures we justify our weakness, laziness, absence of
will and negative thoughts. But we forget that happiness is inside of us, it is only
our choice to be happy, courageous and free or to be unhappy. This film is about
energy of life. Stop. Listen. Hear yourself out and then you’ll be able to hear the
others. When time gains its space, the pure freedom and happiness fills your soul.
The story itself suggests a big amount of unprofessional actors participating
in the project – they would be able to create the right atmosphere of this film.
Meditative camera will resonate with the characters’ plastics. Camera moves
will transfuse Elza’s inner energy, wind, Djiga, Ulan, sea, seagulls… Static
distant views will play the role of pauses symbolizing emptiness.
Despite the seeming grayness of nature in the wintertime, deep down the
steppe is unbelievably colorful. As if the steppe was sleeping under this gray
and white blanket. We’ll uncover it a bit and show bright spots of nature in some
of the details.
Music in this film is Elza’s soul itself. It’s like a breath of everyday noises,
air and sounds of nature – everything that Elza touches. Style of music – holy
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minimalism. It might seem that there is no music at all but only because it
should complement the picture so harmonically. Often characters’ speech
doesn’t mean a thing, it’s just used as a noise. The mixture of Kalmyk and
Russian languages will create a very special rhythm and melody of dialogues.
I would like to let each viewer build his own vision of the story based on his
unique experience and psychology. Dramaturgy of the film should grow in his/
her own fantasy and let the viewer perceive the final according to his/her own
moral position. When writing this script I didn’t mean to tell a certain story or
develop any idea, I am just posing a question. Everyone should answer it in his/
her very own way.
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PITCHING
Ella Manzheeva
director, scriptwriter
Born in the Republic of Kalmykia in 1981. Studied music since childhood,
graduated from a musical college with violin specialization.
In 2005 graduated from Saint Petersburg State University of Cinema
and Television, specialization – sound engineering for cinema and TV,
workshop of Frank G.Y. Worked in filmmaking as a sound engineer.
In 2007 enrolled for Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors,
workshop of V.I. Hotinenko, P.K. Finn, V.A. Fenchenko.
In 2013 participated in BerlinaleTalentCampus #11, Cultbureau (short)
2013.
Filmography
2007 – “It happens”, TV film, sound engineer
2007 – “Feast”, short, documentary, scriptwriter, director
2008 – “Tennant”, TV film, sound engineer
2008 – “Unfamiliar. Steppe”, short, fiction, scriptwriter, director
2009 – “Woman Like a Steppe Inside”, short, experimental, scriptwriter, director
2010 – “Not to lose oneself”, documentary, scriptwriter, director
2013 – “Portrait of an artist”, documentary, scriptwriter, director
Prizes and awards
2009 – The award on the XVI Festival of Student and Debut films “Saint
Anna”, 1st place in category art experiment at the 4th International
Film Festival SchwaebischHall – FormulaMundi (film “Woman Like a
Steppe Inside”).
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PITCHING
ELENA GLIKMAN
producer
Graduated from the department of journalism of Moscow State University and
from Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors (producer’s workshop of
Igor Tolstunov).
From 1991 – (together with Mikhail Degtyar) head of the “Reporter” TV-studio
(special reporting and documentaries). The “Reporter” studio got four “TEFI”
awards, “Lavr” award and many other international prizes.
Since 2007 – producer of “Telesto” film company. Member of German-Russian
and Franco-Russian film academies.
Filmography
2006 – “Piter FM”, feature
2008 – “+1”, feature
2008 – “The New Year Tariff”, feature
2008 – “The Quiet Family Life”, feature
2010 – “Elephant”, feature
2012 – “Atomic Ivan”, feature
Prizes and awards
“Piter FM”: “Silver carvel” award, an award for best debut at the Festival of
Russian Cinema “Window to Europe”, Vyborg, 2006; an award for best debut at
the Festival in Honfleur, France, 2006; Best female actress, Best soundtrack –
Movie awards “MTV-Russia”, 2007.
“+1”: An award for best male actor, “Kinotavr”, 2008; an award for best female
actress, Festival “Smile, Russia!”, 2008; Big “Golden carvel” for best movie,
competition “Vyborg reckoning”, Film Festival “Window to Europe”, 2008; an
award for a best script, an award for best female actress, an award for best male
actor, Honfleur Russian Film Festival, France, 2008; the main award “Big Golden
Apple” for the best movie, “Golden Apple” for best female actress, International
Festival of Producer’s Cinema of Russia and Ukraine “Kino-Yalta-2008”.
“Elephant”: Special award named after Yul Brynner for best leading female
actress, International Film Festival of Asian-Oceanian Countries in Vladivostok
“Pacific Meridian”, 2010;
GRAND PRIX in the nomination “Cinematograph”, Award for “Best Female
Actress”, Award for “Best Film Photography”, Film Festival “Orlenok”, 2010;
An award from the “Family Jury” for best female actress, Moscow Festival of
Russian Cinema “Moscow Premieres”, 2011;
An award for “Best film of the competitive program”, Saint Petersburg Children’s
Charity Cinema Festival, 2011;
GRAND PRIX of the children’s fiction film competition “KinoMalyShok”, Open
Film Festival of CIS countries, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia “Kinoshok”, 2011.
“Atomic Ivan”: An award named after Pavel Lebeshev for the best film
photography, Debut Film Festival “Spirit of Fire”, 2012;
An award in the nomination “Best smile!”, Festival “Smile, Russia!”, 2012.
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PITCHING
TO BE
PRODUCER:
Dmitry Tulchinsky
DIRECTOR:
Nana Grinshtein
SCRIPTWRITER:
Nana Grinshtein
GENRE: psychological drama with the
element of science fiction
RUNNING TIME: 90 min
BUDGET: 37 195 440 rub
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: search for partners for
production.
CONTACTS:
Dmitry Tulchinsky,
[email protected]
There is no time. There are only splinters, and they change the image of reality with every turn of
kaleidoscope. Angelica and Pasha (charmless school children, losers) meet on the Internet, they
have no idea of that everything happening to them is just accidently formed fragments of other
realities where they and their ancestors lived already, and more than that – where they live at the
same moment. They don’t know yet that all their meetings repeat themselves again and again,
superimpose on one another in different dimensions. They don’t know that all this swirling of the
reality is just a preparation for the genesis of a new life, birth of their future child…
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Synopsis
On the Internet a pimply teenager Pasha (nickname Warrior) meets a girl who
goes by the nickname Angela, falls in love with her photo and asks her out in the
real world. While waiting for her he picks up a glove someone just lost, it has
differently coloured fingers and the keys inside. Pasha fails to give it back – the
owner of the glove is already out of site. When Angelica comes she turns out to
be a 15 years old ugly fat girl wearing glasses, the one on the photos was her
deceased mother. Angelica is not her nickname, her parents named her after a
character of a movie they liked a lot. Pasha tries to get rid of her as fast as possible but later on runs into her crying and miserable, he feels sorry for her and
assures he likes her and the appearance is not of much importance.
Pasha and Angelica don’t know whether it all didn’t happen or in fact nothing
in their lives actually happened. At the same time other Pasha and Angelica
move into an empty flat and embitter the life of their neighbor Ludmila, the
employee of a cake factory, whose husband bus driver Vasily is gradually
abandoning her. Every morning in the elevator she overhears Angelica telling
about her dreams (from the middle of the story it seems like she is speaking
of something that actually happened). Listening to Angelica Ludmila looses
all sense of reality and leaves Earth with the aliens in their spaceship without
even realizing the girl was only sharing her dreams. Ludmila’s husband is not
with her already, he is completely changed by the love to a stranger. Every day
he drives her in his bus where she takes the seat of a checktaker.
It’s winter. Angelica wears the gloves with differently coloured fingers and
puts keys inside. She can’t have sex with Pasha because of the neighbour
upstairs. Every night he puts on the record of a Victory Parade on enormous
volume. Pasha goes upstairs to deal with the neighbor and meets an old man,
half-mad and deaf, who kicks him out shouting “Fire!”. On the next day Pasha
comes back to give him new headphones only to find out the old man is dead.
His name was Petr Petrovich Ivashov. His relatives are already fighting for
45
his property right next to the neighbor’s corpse. Pasha turns on the Victory
Parade record and leaves.
Pasha doesn’t know he is a German sniper who shot Petr Ivashow in Berlin
in 1945. Nowadays his wife Angelica goes to a trial court as a witness of a
road crime but at the same time she is at the trial concerning Petr Ivashov’s
murder. She is convicted as a witness and the court officers – a priest and a
policeman – lead her to the left wing of the court building for a bath. The whole
building used to be a bath-house once. After she is done with the shower she
gets a token for the cloak-room. In the locker cell she finds a newborn girl…
Not being aware of what has happened to them before (or rather at the
same time) Angelica and Pasha are getting married. The wedding goes
south when one of the guests dies from liver rupture right after the toast.
Nonetheless they are happy, they are in love with each other. Pasha works
as a cinema operator, he makes love with Angelica in a projector room while
screening “Angelica and the King” movie. Obviously these are the parents of
the first fat Angelica, but at the same moment Angelica and her mother are
the same person in different incarnations. All of a sudden Angelica doesn’t
wake up in the morning, she is in lethargic sleep. Her neighbor Ludmila takes
care of her. In this reality she never left with the aliens. On top of it Angelica is
pregnant. In this unique circumstances she gives birth to a girl who is later on
named after the character of a movie. And there she is, little chubby Angelica
with her glasses. She plays with her dormant mother, dresses her and cuts
her hair while the girl’s dad puts make up on mother’s lips and eyes. One day
little Angelica falls asleep next to her, and the mother wakes up instantly.
All she has time for is to meet Pasha once again and to rejoice at seeing her
daughter. The second Angelica is awakened the mother’s heart stops.
Pasha, the one we met in the beginning of the movie, feels down because
the girl with a nickname Angelica doesn’t write him back. He is standing next
to the subway station just as he was before, the scene copies the one the film
46
began with, but this time no one comes to him. Pasha is the grandson of Petr
Petrovich Ivashov, he lives in the same apartment that once was a messy flat
of Petr Petrovich. In this version of reality Pasha is a grandson of a soldier
Ivashov killed at war by a young German sniper. In the elevator Pasha runs
into a fat unattractive girl in glasses – Angelica, and she accidently looses a
glove with differently colored fingers and the key inside. Pasha remembers
which flat she left from. He enters the apartment and realizes the girl lied
to him. He suffered from unanswered love with the portrait of her long gone
mother… Pasha is furious, he loathes Angelica. How could she do this to him?
It’s spring. Angelica is young and beautiful, she is walking through the city
wearing the gloves with different coloured fingers and shoe covers. Youthful
and handsome, Pasha is remodelling the old flat. Everything is going to be
different there. Angelica is back home with wonderful news for Pasha – they
are going to have a baby…
Maybe everything that happened before was just a coinciding of two
different variants of existence which was essential to bring a new person to
the world, a vessel for past and future.
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Producer's vision
Our contemporaries live in a state of constant cognitive dissonance. Similar
to Hamlet they feel the binding yarn of time is broken. For those people a film
dedicated to the fabric of time itself where the past, present and future are
bound together will be quite interesting and exciting.
The problem brought to light in the film can’t be considered strictly of
Russian origin therefore we can count on substantial distribution on the world
market.
The screenplay of “To be” was published in “The art of the Film” magazine
and was highly appreciated by professional society.
The fairly low budget allows to expect the project to be financially profitable.
The companies interested in the expansion of the package represented on
the world market or in the increase of their representation on the international
festivals can act as partners in the production of the film.
Logistics of the production – all the objects are located in Moscow or
Moscow area. The apartment of the main characters is situated in an average
apartment building in the center of the city. A facility on the premises of the
car manufacturing factory is perfect for fantastic scenes (hall of distorting
mirrors or alien spaceship).
PITCHING
Director's vision
Do we live our own lives for the first time? What if they were already spent
before and, if so, in how many interpretations? A tree-dimensional character
can hardly imagine his online double living his very life in a four-dimensional
universe. The film “To be” is an attempt to tell a story of two main characters,
mother and daughter, in different versions of several realities. All characters of
the film will at the same time live two or more different lives right in front of us
without even recognizing it.
The film is supposed to be shot as patched up jeans or a ragged shirt, the
reality is torn apart and brought back together while the characters can’t realize
the existence of those holes and patches offered to them by the time and space.
Those patches are the key to the visualization of the whole concept. Due to
those reasons we intend to use special effects instead of shooting on locations
that requires complicated interior and exterior constructions. The question is to
use the same special effects as in old Russian films, which will make the film
visually similar to the fairy tale movies of the Soviet era. The scale models and
animation might also be considered.
As for the mundane part of the storyline the larger half of the film will look
humble, realistic and non-emotional. A handheld camera will be used only in
the scene of the meeting between Mozart and Shakespeare. All other shots
will be strictly posed and carefully adjusted. Dull colors without deliberateness,
slow tempo-rhythmic pattern, soft soundtrack. We want to share the feeling
of commonness, mundanity and routine of the scene with the audience. The
romantic images of nature and the cityscape should go without the excessive
loveliness. Nothing in this film should look genuinely beautiful. By the tone of it
(but not the genre!) it is a thriller. It should give the sense of anxiety. The sinking
feeling that the end is near. References – “Lost Highway”, “Mulholland drive” by
David Lynch.
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48
PITCHING
Nana Grinshtein
Dmitry Tulchinsky
director
Born in 1971 in Baku. In 1996 graduated from the scenery department of
Russian State University of Cinematography named after S. Gerasimov,
project team of U.N. Arabov and T.A. Dubrovina. Leading author of first two
seasons of “the Sesame Street” TV-show for children (1995 – 2001), Director
and scriptwriter of theatrical performances.
Filmography
1996 – “Names” (feature)
2006 – “Piter FM” (feature)
2008 – “+1” (feature)
2011 – “Anna German. Echo of love” (feature)
2012 – “Old suitcase” (short)
2013 – “20 bodies later” (short)
Prizes and awards
2008 – Best scenario at the festival in Honfleur, France (film “+1”).
producer
Born on November 3rd, 1970. Graduated from MIIT.
Filmography
2011 – “Combat hospital”, (TV series), producer
2012 – “Revelations”, (TV series), producer
2012 – “Revelations. Revenge”, (TV series), producer
2013 – “Ashes”, (TV series), producer
2013 – “The cost of living”, (TV series), producer
2014 – “The godfather”, (TV series), producer
PITCHING
49
SPOTTER
DIRECTOR:
Andrey Zagidullin
SCRIPTWRITER:
Andrey Zagidullin
GENRE: mystic action-thriller
RUNNING TIME: 90 min
BUDGET: 30,000,000 Rub
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: search for production partners
and distributors
CONTACTS:
Andrey Zagidullin,
[email protected]
“Spotter” is a story of a murderous assault having its outcomes in two alternative realities. The
whole film is a continuous pursuit action. One of the realities shows the murderer hiding out from
the police, whereas in another reality the same person runs from revenge of the person he failed to
kill. All the parallel events move rapidly in course of one night.
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PITCHING
Synopsis
Director's vision
Protagonist of the film Vlad Klimov decides to commit a public murder in the
“dekaDANCE” nightclub. We don’t know causes and motives of the crime. The
event generates two alternative realities – in one of them Klimov actually
commits homicide and in another reality he fails. Subsequent actions happen
within one night. Both story lines develop in a parallel manner.
Klimov-murderer has to hide out from the police in the streets of a sleeping
town while senior lieutenant Adam Novak follows his trail. Klimov from
another reality where he failed the attempt has to run from his victim.
Part way through the film it becomes clear that Klimov was trying to kill
Andrey Malinovsky, a former theatre actor who now earns his living by
setting up perverted and violent clandestine performances for well-heeled
spectators. It turns out that Klimov took part in this “theatre of humiliation”
long ago and now he is driven by revenge.
At some point two story lines start to infiltrate each other. Thus the
murderer gets into the reality where he has to face his victim again. At the
same time another Klimov finds himself sitting on the court bench accused of
a murder he hadn’t committed.
Another character of the plot is a mysterious “man in black” who is capable
of manipulating realities. He seems to be playing with Klimov’s life as the
story goes. The final scene repeats the node of the story – after showing
Klimov his death, man in black takes him back to the doors of the nightclub.
He offers Klimov not to enter at all. However Klimov takes a step inside where
a completely new version of reality might unfold for him.
The film tells a story of a dead-end revenge plot, a surrealistic nightmare for the
protagonist mad with blood lust. With this retaliatory act he is trying to spot his
mistakes and fix his life, but he only makes it harder on himself.
Action of the film unfolds in two alternative realities. One of them is a blue
cold reality in which the main character never committed the murder but
remains heavy-hearted and haunted by the demons of his past. Another one is
a red reality, where the protagonist fulfilled his plan but it gave no relief and now
he has to pay the unbearable price for his choice.
Color scheme and outfit differences between the realities help a viewer
understand which reality the characters are in at the moment. Color distinction
should be performed delicately without radical correction. I.e. here we’ve got a
blue door, in another scene it’s red; here the lamp has a hint of blue, there it is
still the same lamp, but “hotter” and with a hint of red.
Minimum of handheld camera. Functional cinema camera should play the
role of a narrator. Moderate combination of dynamic and static shoots.
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PITCHING
Andrey Zagidullin
director, scriptwriter
Born in Chelyabinsk in 1986. Dreamt of making fiction films since childhood –
made amateur movies, shot films and animation with friends. Graduated from
South Ural State University in 2007 (specialization – Public Relations). Worked at
television, then in 2008 shot his debut short film “The Observer”. The movie raised
interest on the Internet, during the first couple of hours the video was watched
by 6 thousand people.
Apart from the films the music videos Andrey made for underground bands won a
number of awards at several Russian and International film festivals.
FILMOGRAPHY
2008 – “The Observer” (short)
2009 – “The Red Box” (short)
2011 – “Comprehension” (short)
2012 – “Start the Engine and reverse” (short)
Recognition and awards
2009 – G
RAND-PRIX of the International Los-Angeles Music Video Awards
Festival, USA (debut music video for the band Kambodge)
2010 – F
inalist of the special program “Gorod RR” within the “Kinotavr”
Festival (film “The Observer”).
2011 – T he award of A.Sokurov for the best directing at the Short Film Festival
“Kinogorod Metropolis” as part of the Second International Kinoforum
in Saint Petersburg; GRAND-PRIX of the New York Film Festival
“Putiton Picture Show” – “Best Achievement In Acting” (Maksim
Pilnikov) (film “The Red Box”).
2011 – T he award of the 4th All-Russian Festival of Author Short Films
“ARTkino” in the nomination “Best Female Actress” (Elizaveta
Agureeva) (film “Comprehension”)
2012 – S
emifinalist of the International Festival “Youtube – Your Film Festival”,
conducted by Youtube.com web portal in association with Venice
Film Festival and Scott Free Productions film company; participant of
International Film Festivals: Slamdance, Cinequest, Tirana, Euroshorts,
Shnit International and other. (film “Start the Engine and reverse”).
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PITCHING
AUNTIE GALYA
DIRECTOR:
Dasha Khudoleeva
SCRIPTWRITER:
Dasha Khudoleeva
GENRE: drama
RUNNING TIME: 80 min
BUDGET: 30,000,000 rub
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: search of producers and
investors for the project
CONTACTS:
Dasha Khudoleeva,
[email protected]
An 8-year-old girl becomes a witness of a drama in her family – divorce of her parents, mother’s
disease, loss of her family at all. Her father feels bitter about a break-up with another woman and
places the blame on his children. Children have to take a burden of household and have to learn taking
care of their mother and themselves. All characters feel love but keep on torturing each other.
PITCHING
Synopsis
There are two things that really bother me: a fear of being dumped (everybody
will just keep on dumping me forever) and a fear of going mad.
My life changed a lot within a single year.
My parents lived separately without being divorced. Mother and I lived in a
city, father lived in a country side. Sometimes he visited us. My sister and I spent
summer holidays in his country house, sometimes we went there in the winter
as well. When he came to visit us he would have an obligatory fight with our
mother at least once per visit, but it seemed to us that they still had feelings for
each other. Once he arrived to start a divorce. I was eight by then. Mother and
sister stood against the idea, whereas I had no particular emotions about that.
Summer came and we went to the country where we were supposed to
get acquainted with Dad’s new woman – Aunt Galya. In my opinion all Galyas
are bitches, and this one isn’t the only Galya in my story. I was quite excited
about meeting our new Aunt and my sister didn’t seem particularly happy.
Galya arrived and my sister said: “Let’s pretend we didn’t notice her”. That’s
what we did when they were passing us by on their way from the bus stop.
We weren’t the easiest of children indeed, but I cannot say why exactly she
didn’t like us. To cut the long story short, she had an argument with Dad and
left very soon. Dad was very upset and we went to call Mom. He told her that
he was unwell and he wanted her to come. We used the neighbor’s telephone
to call her because we didn’t have our own telephone. That evening Dad took
a motorbike and went to see Galya. He returned next morning and told us to
pack our things. He said he would take us to the train station when mother
arrives and the three of us would immediately go back to the city. We slept
on a mattress on the floor of his house and I cried the whole night through
because he cheated our mother and I never felt so bitter.
Next day he took us to the train station and passed us over to Mom, who
arrived with bags full of sweets and presents.
It was an evening in the winter. Mom stood by the window. My sister and
I called her but she didn’t react. I continued calling her but I already felt that
53
something awful was going on. Sister said: “Can’t you see? She went off her
head!” Yes, that happened then, that exact evening, in the blink of an eye.
My thoughts were all jumbled together, then in one second I understood and
imagined everything. At that exact moment I lost my mother and my whole
life. What happened after was another nightmarish life that I took as normal.
But Mom wasn’t there anymore, there was someone else instead.
Mother had a brother – Uncle Vitya, who gave us his flat and went to live
in Siberia. She also had her twin Lyuda, who lived in Ukraine. But we had no
idea there was also an older sister. She turned up unexpectedly soon after
the divorce right before Mom got ill. Her name was Auntie Galya. Long after
that I found out that she had visited us when parents were still together and
mother had led her to the bus stop. When she came back home she said she’s
afraid of Galya. Since then Auntie Galya has never shown up. It turned out our
flat was the problem.
So, Auntie Galya returned. She was the only person who knew what was
going on with Mom. She forbade telling anyone about it and said that doctors
aren’t necessary.
At first Mom kept going to work. Once I asked her to buy some kefir for me
and she came home really late. I asked her about kefir and she replied that
she had forgotten about it. I started shaking her angrily and saying: “What
am I gonna eat?” Than I noticed a spot of blood on the wall I was pushing her
against. Blood was oozing from the back of her head. I called my sister and
we asked what had happened to her. She said she had been hit by a car and
she lost her bag. She actually came home without her bag. I was frightened,
ashamed of my behavior and felt angry for myself. Sister called her classmate
whose mother was a nurse and asked what should we do. I remember that
we put mother into bathtub and washed her head. Then she laid in bed.
Mom ceased to get up. My sister and I went to her work instead of her.
(My sister was ten by the way). Once I was at my classmate’s place when
sister called and said it’s time to go to work. I didn’t explain anything to the
classmate and she didn’t want me to leave. I didn’t want to leave too so I told
54
my sister I wouldn’t go. She came to get me but we pretended we didn’t hear
the doorbell. But still I knew we had to go anyway so eventually we went to
work for mother. We washed the floors of some college. Mother’s boss knew
us and we said that Mom is ill. Later she told us not to come cause she cannot
let unfamiliar people in. But we kept coming anyway.
Sister learned to tie my hair in the mornings. I learned how to buy food in the
shop. At school nobody knew what was happening, we kept studying. Once a
classmate said to me: “You stink!” “I know” – I replied. And I knew of course, we
had the same stench in our flat because Mom soiled herself. Sometimes Auntie
Galya came to wash the sheets. We tried to wash Mum in the bath. We said that
Mom was sleeping to everybody who came to us or phoned us.
It was about the time of New Year. We really wanted a Christmas tree. We
had a collection of nice coins (that was the time when new metallic coins
appeared). We sorted the most precious coins out, sister took the rest and
went to buy a tree. Later she called me from a telephone booth saying she
lacks a few rubles and asked me to take more coins and come to the tree
market. It was already dark outside and I was really scared, but pulled myself
together and set off. I was looking about with every rustle, I got scared of
every stranger on my way. Finally I met my sister. She said that vendor saw
her waiting out in cold and gave her a fair discount. This is how we got our
Christmas tree. Auntie Galya explained us on the phone how to make a cake.
We only had some pancake flour and we didn’t know how to cook so the result
was hardly edible. The leap year was over and we celebrated New Year with
a cake and a real Christmas tree. We even gave some presents to each other.
Then Dad got to know what was going on and came. In the night Mom
told him she’s going mad. All relatives and friends arrived the next morning.
Probably they came to discuss what to do. Mom went to the balcony of a back
stair. Sister went to bring her back but returned alone, then Dad went to get
her. Nastya went to Mom again and I heard loud cries. I knew what it meant
but it didn’t come as a surprise to me. I didn’t shed a tear. The worst had
already happened to me long ago.
PITCHING
Later it was all the same to me when they took us away. I didn’t care at all,
sometimes I just got scared in a nighttime. Dad took us to the countryside
saying that’s just for a year, but later it turned out to be forever. A completely
new different life started there, still not the sweetest one indeed. And yes,
eventually Auntie Galya found a way to get a grip of our flat.
Director's vision
This dramatic story of relationships within the family is going to be shown
from the perspective of a little girl. Actions of the adults and all events seem
simpler if you look through the eyes of a child putting all the excessive
contrived complications off.
Action takes place in a city and in countryside. Chronologically events of the
film happen in the early nineties, but in fact it doesn’t matter, it’s all timeless.
The protagonist will be a narrator of the story – as if it was her diary.
The film should be in a subdued tone with long takes, which may include
changing focus, different camera movements and other properties within
one shot.
55
PITCHING
Dasha Khudoleeva
scriptwriter, director
Born in Leningrad on December 28, 1983. Director, member of the Union of
Russian Filmmakers. Graduated from Saint-Petersburg State University of
Culture and Arts in 2007, Cinema and Photo Art Department, workshop of
Vladimir Chutko.
Winner of the “Muse of Saint Petersburg” grants competition of the Saint
Petersburg Committee for Science and Higher Education for students and
post-graduate students in 2005.
In 2009 worked at a film studio “Lenfilm” at the Department of visual effects
and computer graphics, projects: “I Believe” by Lidia Bobrova, “History of the
Arkanar Massacre” by Alexei German, TV series “Rule of the Labyrinth” by
Boris Gorlov and other.
Filmography
2005 – “Fast Food” (documentary), director
2006 – “Neighbor” (fiction documentary), director
2007 – “Pri-Babushka and the Royal Saucer” (short), director
2007 – “Not an accident” (short), director
2007 – “The Ark”, director – Sergey Karandashov (film editor)
2007 – “Old Road”, director – Aleksandr Kiselev (assistant director)
2007 – “Melody for a Doll” (TV film from the “Russian History through the Eyes
of Children” cycle)
2008 – “Faces and Dates of the Samizdat” (TV film), 4 series
2010 – “Nevsky Prospect” (documentary), director
2013 – “Singing in the Silence” (documentary), director
Recognition and awards
2007 – Award for the best film, “Zerkalo” Festival, Saint Petersburg State
University of Culture and Arts, (film “Pri-Babushka and the Royal
Saucer”).
2007 – Winner of the International competition “Practical master-class “1:0”
as part of “Zerkalo” Festival, Saint Petersburg State University of
Culture and Arts, (film “Not an accident”).
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PITCHING
THE EXERTION
DIRECTOR:
Anna Sarukhanova
SCRIPTWRITER:
Marianna Akopyan
GENRE: psychological drama
RUNNING TIME: 85 min.
BUDGET: 7 800 000 rub
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: search of investors for
production and partners for promotion and
distribution
CONTACTS:
Anna Sarukhanova,
[email protected]
Director's vision
Every person has to make life-changing choices at some points of his or her life. There is no way you
can avoid making a decision. Those choices define whether your personality will become whole and
complete or will you betray yourself by loosing your identity and values in other people’s thoughts
and dreams. The real choice is hard to make. Otherwise it wouldn’t be a choice at all. The pain you go
through can either destroy or temper you. If you have the potential it can make you more established
in your vision of the world around you and in your future choices. “What do you loose? – You loose
the other opportunity”. But when you grow into maturity it is almost invariable to loose “the other
opportunity” so the question is whether the chosen way happens to be “the way of your heart”?
On the other hand on numerous occasions we go through self-delusion or even self-betrayal while
making a decision. Human beings have passionate desires and a desire can be a strong catalyser
for ostracism. This is what I want to make a film about. I want to show the way a future personality
can evolve through an acute conflict with the outer world and inner self. Having to overcome wishful
thinking and self-betrayal in the end this personality becomes whole.
I feel like I can bring my concept to life in an innovative but still legitimate manner using the
experience I gained during my studies and work on other projects. I can make a film each of my
viewers can comprehend and relate to.
PITCHING
Synopsys
Nia is 20 years old, she has just graduated from the department of journalism
and now has got a tough life choice to make. Her mother went into second
marriage and suggested to Nia to live with her in France. She doesn’t
understand Nia’s affection to Georgia and considers her current lifestyle
pointless, it appears to her that her daughter doesn’t want to live in France out
of the plain stubbornness. Also she is not in her best spot in the relationship
with her father. From his point of view Nia acts egoistic and shows no respect
towards her family and Georgian customs. Nia can’t see any purpose in the
pub and bar lifestyle of nowadays youth. On the other hand her sister Anna is
only interested in material wealth which also makes no sense to Nia. The only
person she can actually be herself with is her grandfather. He doesn’t try to
change her and makes her feel comfortable. Nia is tired from being all alone
and from constant fight to remain herself. She is in a state of deep defence,
she silently stands her ground. She almost gave up on the idea of meeting a
person who thinks the same way.
At a friend’s birthday party Nia meets Dato. Together they go to the river
through a secret passage and have a meaningful conversation there. It comes
to her how different he is from everyone Nia knew before. They share the
perception of beauty, the lightness, they have mutual understanding. Dato’s
sincerity and unselfishness make Nia believe she is not alone in this hostile
world. The next day Dato doesn’t show up for a date. Nia is deeply hurt, she
thinks the boy betrayed her for no reason.
Nia decides to bury herself in work but her whole world is falling apart.
She looses all hope, now she has nothing to match against the world of
utilitarianism, sex and dalliance.
The work on the graduation project brings her to the studio of a young
architect Niko. Their relationship is as fast-moving as it could be. For the
first time in her life Nia betrays herself by getting into the relationship with
57
someone she can’t be close to. At first she does that to punish herself but
later on Nia starts to believe Niko is her soul mate. Together with Niko’s
friends they go to the woods where he offers Nia to use drugs. Once again
she feels the pointlessness of everything around her and decides to leave.
Niko shows no interest in her taking off and just lets her go home through the
forest all alone. Feeling deeply insulted and in an attempt to punish herself
once again she takes the drug on her way home.
She is not even capable of doing her work anymore. She is at her
grandfather’s, for the whole week she just lies in bed and tries to get in touch
with Niko but he doesn't return her calls.
Nia is devastated. She goes to the sea to a music festival where she
accidently runs into Niko and his new girlfriend. He makes her realize how he
feels about Nia by being extremely rude to her.
She sits in a room aimlessly for three days just to apprehend she was lying to
herself for the whole time. She takes a bus home and on her way suddenly finds
out Dato didn’t come to the date because he had died in a car crash. It unveils to
Nia all the depth and diversity of the self-deception she brought on herself. In
desperation she thrusts herself into the sea and survives only by chance.
Back home Nia learns her grandfather passed away. She decides to leave to
Paris but at the airport she rips the flight ticket, she makes a choice to come
back home and keep fighting for the right to stay herself.
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PITCHING
Anna
Sarukhanova
director
Filmography
2007 – “Dot” (short)
2008 – “Day” (short)
2009 – “After Before” (short)
2011 – “Sandbox for the Elephant” (short)
2011 – Short film “Away” (short)
2012 – Short film “Dog Dog” (short)
2012 – Second director, film “YES and YES” (director Valeriya Gai Germanika).
Prizes and awards
Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 1988. Graduated from the department of journalism of
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University in 2010. Worked as a correspondent
on the “Movie Magic” project for All-Russian State Television and Radio
Broadcasting Company, later she finished three-month courses in the University
of Genoa, Italy – History and theory of the film course. Did practical training at
Cinecitta motion-picture studio. In 2010 successfully defended her graduation
project with a documentary “Home” telling about a family that came back to
their demolished house in Ergneti after the war of 2008. In 2009 worked on the
set of “Chantrapas” film (Director HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Otar_Iosseliani” \o “Otar Iosseliani” Otar Iosseliani). In 2012 graduated from
Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors (workshop of V.I. Hotinenko, V.A.
Fenchenko, P.K. Finn). Filmed a one-shot short film “Summer”. Also shot several
music videos (Kach and Germanica, “V nol’”, Mujuice “Dear friend”, Me and my
Monkey “Revolution” , YOURALOBIKOV “Python”, Mecanico “Fanatic”).
Award for Best Debut in the nomination “Fiction Film”, “Kinoproba” International
festival (Russia)
“Onetwothree” film was selected for the program of the Gesamt 2012 festival in
Copenhagen, (the contest was announced and went under supervision of Lars
Von Trier).
Participated in festivals
• Int. Film festival (Greece)
• Moscow International Film Festival (Russia)
• The Festival ArtDeco de Brazil Cinema Exotique Films
• BuSho International Short Film Festival (Hungary)
• International Short and Animation Film Festival “OPEN CINEMA” (Russia)
• Russian National Independent Short Film Festival “Artkino” (Russia)
• International Amateur European Film Festival “VOICES” (Russia)
• Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (FIAPF) (Estonia)
• 13th Tbilisi International Film Festival (Tbilisi)
• Festival “KONIK” (Russia).
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59
JUGHI
PRODUCER:
Tatyana Voronetskaya
DIRECTOR:
Pulat Akhmatov
SCRIPTWRITER:
Pulat Akhmatov
GENRE: drama
RUNNING TIME: 100 min.
BUDGET: 38,000,000 Rub
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: search of additional financing
for film production
CONTACTS:
8 (495) 981-53-01,
8 (905) 515-41 80 Elena
By a twist of fate a family couple of Asian Jughi gypsies found themselves in the broad lands of Russia
on a junction station where the locomotive and the team of engine drivers were to be changed
and the local market women had the opportunity to make a couple runs along the train selling goods.
The southern people found shelter in the house of one of the market women, Yulka, single mother
of two children. He is a fortuneless drug-dealer, she came to save him from going to prison.
60
SYNOPSIS
There lived a girl in a mountain kishlak. One day she was going back home
carrying a bundle of brushwood on her back. A car was coming towards her.
Mekhri heard a squeal of brakes and turned around. A chap with tousled
hair with a woman’s face was running to her. He grabbed Mekhri’s hand
and dragged her to the car. The road was going down, but was not always
straight. On one of the turns the car drove off the road and disappeared in the
clouds of dust in a narrow hollow…
She made it to the kishlak late at night. In the morning she heard her mother’s
loud shouts, all the neighbors were talking about the awful disgrace, and her
father turned Mekhri into the streets. On the fringe of the kishlak the crying
mother reached her and silently handed her some money and two flat cakes.
Mekhri walked to the bus stop, and the family soon moved out to another
kishlak far away, so that nobody knew there about the family’s disgrace.
Let’s skip the details and just say that some time later Mekhri entered
into a new parents’ house that turned out to be a covered wagon made from
sun-dried bricks, just like the ones on the right and on the left, and on the
other side of the brook. Another relative showed up, her aunt on the maternal
line, who Mekhri probably knew in her childhood but already forgot. The aunt
hugged the girl, cried a little and told her about the last days and hours of
her parents who died in the massive mudflow from the mountains during
continuous rains… On the 3rd day the aunt carefully looked at Mekhri and
suddenly announced that it’s time for her to get married, and moreover,
that she had already found someone for her. This is the place where a new
character – orphan Mustafo, the boy that Mekhri’s aunt found as a fiancé –
appeared in our story, which meant a new page of the girl’s life story.
Here we will also skip a time period and meet our heroes on their wedding day.
Mekhri and Mustafo were under a red scarf, and it was the first time they
stood so close to each other. This fact, as well as the fact that the time meant
PITCHING
for them to get to know each other was going very slowly forged them. Both
felt unnatural and uncomfortable. Finally the song of this part of the ritual
ended, and they were walked into the house. The few guests threw candies
and copper coins in the air…
The room was dark. A match lit. Mustafo was looking at Mekhri’s face close
to him, and then he started moving the light lower along her body, to her feet.
The match faded burning Mustafo’s toes, but he didn’t pay attention to that –
his face was getting an expression of angry bewilderment.
The old lady at the door was intensely listening. Mustafo reached for the tea
bowl with water, then turned to Mekhri again and lied still keeping a stone face.
Mekhri was looking away, and when Mustafo lied back, caught his breath
and reached for the matchbox over her, she jumped off the bed, ran to the
corner and cowered covering her head with hands. Mustafo was examining
the bed, then the fire faded.
Morning. Mustafo was sitting at the uncovered bed with his legs crossed,
shaking his head in the pace of his thoughts. Mekhri was still in the corner
covering her legs with a shirt and with her head on her knees; only the old lady
was sleeping on the carpet at the door.
Mustafo stood up, threw a bunch of chips in the oven. He did everything
automatically. He came to the door willing to open it, and at this moment
Mekhri screamed. He turned round at the sound. His sight was attracted by
a knife on a low window sill. He took the knife and came to Mekhri keeping
it in the hose. She flattened herself against the wall wishing to cry, but
Mustafo pressed his hand against her mouth, and she couldn’t break away
from him however she tried to turn her head and coil. She stretched her body
and reached the tea bowl with her leg, the bowl broke hurting her bare foot.
Mustafo heard it, a thought came across his mind and he took his hand off
her – she even had the time to scream from the pain – he grabbed her leg
and dragged her from the corner to the blankets. When the blood damped the
PITCHING
sheets Mustafo released Mekhri and threw her a towel. Taking a deep breath
he opened the door. The morning freshness and the noise of the kishlak
awake for a long time now filled the room…
We’ll skip some time again. It’s a mistake to think that time goes slowly
in the mountains. It takes half a day to get to the red-mantled grove, and the
same half a day to come back. So, bringing a bundle of brushwood home
means one page of a calendar. If no one burnt the brushwood it would be
possible to tell how many days Mekhri and Mustafo lived together. About a
year, which means that it was again the time when all the weddings were
arranged. It was after one of them when Mustafo talked to the two guests at
the celebration. It was a short, clear, manly talk. “Do you want a house like
that? And a car just like the one we drive? Everything’s possible! A small risk,
just a tiny one, and you are on a roll! Do you want it?”
Mustafo wanted it. A few days later he mumbled something as a goodbye
and walked through the gates. Mekhri’s watched the car with her husband
driving away and then looked up at the top of the mountain where the grove
was. It was time to get some brushwood.
A few days later there came news that Mustafo had been arrested in Russia
for transporting heroin inside his body, he would be taken to court and
sentenced a few years of jail. After that some people from the city showed up
and said that Mustafo had failed their important business and that’s why they
would take his house to somehow compensate the money spent on the goods
that worthless Mustafo was responsible for…
Mekhri threw stones at the citizens, locked the house, sold a goat and went
to Russia to find and rescue her husband.
Mustafo got to the place where he was supposed to deliver the goods. The
person who was responsible for meeting him saw Mustafo rapidly leave the
carriage turning his head from one side to another, then run to the station
and disappear inside the building. His running drew the station personnel’s
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attention, and lieutenant Barmin sent a sergeant after him, and then he
patiently followed the sergeant himself. The circumstances made it clear that
Mustafo would be arrested inside of the station. The welcoming person shook
a little, waited for a while in the place that he had chosen beforehand to be
able to see everything, and then decided to get out of there. On the same day
the news that the runner was captured spread in the mountains, and then the
thing mentioned above happened, which forced Mekhri to take the road. But
nobody knew that Mustafo crouching from unbearable stomachache found a
toilet at the station, and when the policemen tore off the flimsy door, all the
possible evidence of the crime had been flushed down.
Yulka, her grandmother, her children, Nikolay, her domestic partner,
Barmin banishing Yulka from the station in the afternoon and waiting for
her in the evening. The family of nomads-gypsies, neighbor Lenka, market
women from the station – these are the characters that will be part of the
further events that will take place in summer in the tiny village. The major
scenes will be Yulka’s house, she will give Mekhri and her poor husband
shelter; the station, where Yulka will go with a tray of pies, and an old lady –
with bags of seeds, and where Mekhri will come later helping them both. And
we will witness the changes that people can experience finding their way from
the world of instincts into the world of passions, though not so tense, not
Shakespeare-like, but simple and pure.
On one of the nights an old lady will silently pass away. She passed away
disturbing the life order, right at the time when love started to develop in
the house. It was summer, they didn’t have any money either for ice or for
a grave and a commemoration. Market women took in some money, some
was found in the grandmother’s trunk. Mekhri took off her earrings, rings,
and then she took out a package with heroin that got to her by accident back
in the homeland. Then they came up with a sophisticated plan brought to life
by Barmin and Nikolay, it was the first time they worked hand in hand. The
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weird controversial death united ones, strengthened the love of others, and
taught others how to care.
…it was winter when they got to kishlak. They got off the bus at the turn
and began their way up. Mustafo went first, Mekhri with a checkered bag
followed behind. Mekhri stopped. Mustafo turned around hearing the silence
behind him. Mekhri was standing trying to figure out what had happened, then
touched her stomach and shivered as if she was pushed. Mustafo took her
bag and they kept walking home. Mekhri was holding her back while walking
and somehow reminded of a little duck.
DIRECTOR'S VISION
Two worlds. This is how we can in a few words define the concept of the script.
It is a huge incomprehensible metaphysical space where everything is different
– religions, traditions, myths, life principles. In our case this space shrank down
to one simple village house of market woman Yulka who gave shelter to a
couple from an Eastern country that had suddenly become “near abroad”. Why
did a single mother of two children Yulka need that when she had enough of her
own problems? With everyday hard work she almost missed the opportunity to
build her own woman’s happiness. Will there be enough warmth in her heart to
share it with the guests? Is there really such a term as tolerance?
The criminal line of the story won’t be the main holder of the plot. This is just
a trick to put all the characters in one space and follow the development of the
relations inside of an ordinary Russian family and the changes in the minds
of the characters, first of all of the alien family based on completely different
traditions than Yulka’s family. In the end it should be a story about love tosses
in one family and creating love in the other.
The shooting of the project will require significant production, director’s and
camera man’s effort, both because of the geographical variation of the main
objects and because of the fact that we tend to visually create nearly graphic
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and new natural pattern taking into account that exterior shooting will take the
major part of the film. This means neither the creation of rich beauty in Tadjik
part of the picture, nor the illimitable space in black-earth-Russian part, the
major one. Thus, the nature will have to take some dramaturgic responsibilities.
It will be important not to allow shot oversaturation in the composition. This
does not include the episode with equestrian plays in the beginning of the film –
here it’s essential to fill the scene to the maximum, to emphasize the number of
people participating in a cruel, controversially naturalistic competition with only
one winner in each round. This can be one more unexpected trait in discovering
the world of Jughi characters.
As for interior shooting, it will take place in natural interiors, without
studios and other constructions, and the rhythm of the picture will be close to
a documentary in almost monochrome color-grade. The same aesthetics will
be implemented while choosing actors – supposedly, Yulka’s and the aunt’s
parts should be performed by professional significant actresses. Other parts
are supposed to be performed by actors who can as well be professionals, but
not from the TV-series cast. This in no way means that they are bad actors,
the problem is that each of them will have their own baggage of technics and
experience, and most importantly – they will have their own social image
formed by previous films, and this can interfere with the documentary stylistics
of the film. That’s why we consider casting non-professionals, we will create
and explain to them the atmosphere of the film, inter-personal relations, and
they will be able to use their own lines that always accompany the people.
Special attention will be paid to the sound, to verbal lines in particular, as the
film will be in two languages with off-screen translation of non-Russian speech.
As for Russian verbal lines, they will have the peculiarities of the local dialect
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Tatyana
Voronetskaya
producer
Graduated from VGIK in 1981, MA in scriptwriting and film history. Since 1981
– chief editor at «Souzmultfilm» studio. From 1983 till 1990 – Director of the
Scientific-methodological department the State Cinema Committee, USSR. From
1990 – deputy director at Studio Theatre «ARS-90», VGIK (Sergey Solovyov’s
experimental workshop), academic secretary and senior lecturer of ‘»history
of cinema» and «film critic» subjects at VGIK. Since 1993 – General Director of
«Rossfilm» film company, producer of documentary and feature films. Author of
the book «Leonid Filatov» (1991) and several articles about cinema.
Filmography
1993 – “Antifaust”, feature (together with Germany)
2002 – “Sorceress' recipe”, feature
2006 – “League of betrayed wives”, TV series
2007 – “Artist's model”, feature
2009 – “Friday. 12”, feature
2011 – “Bagi”, feature
2012 – “State of emergency”, feature
2012 – “Judas”, feature
Recognition and awards
2001 – Lumiere Brothers Award – Big silver medal (“Oh, do not fly well, life ...
Leonid Filatov”)
2001 – Best Documentary Film Award – “Kinotavr” (“Oh, do not fly well, life ...
Leonid Filatov”)
2002 – Prize for honor and dignity – Festival “Literature and Cinema” (“Oh, do not
fly well, life ... Leonid Filatov”)
2002 – GRAND-PRIX of Stalker Festival (“Mother Vladimirskaya”)
2004 – “Kinotavr” Festival Award (“Sorceress' recipe”)
2005 – Best Director Award – “Smile, Russia!” Festival (“Sorceress' recipe”)
2005 – Best Director Award – “Baltic debuts” Festival (“Sorceress' recipe”)
2008 – Award of The Russian producers Association “Cut!” – best producer
project (“Artist's model”)
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Pulat Akhmatov
director
Graduated from Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography‬ (faculty of screenplay
writing and film study) and from High school of scriptwriters and directors
(G.Panfilov’s course of feature films).
Directed more than 100 documentary films, several feature films.
Participant and prizewinner of International and Russian film festivals.
Scriptwriter for more than 100 documentary films, among them films marked
at the festivals, winner and laureate of the First and Second feature film script
international contests “Lichnoye delo” organized by “Iskusstvo kino” magazine
with scripts for “JUGHI” and “ENOT”.
Feature films
1986 – “Buzkashi”, graduation work.
1986 – “Elevator” (short)
1987 – “Sevanchi”
1988 – “Two in a boat”
1989 – “Alien”, (feature)
1994 – “Walking in the night” – (feature TV film)
1997 – “Shapani”
Filmography
1974 – “Adult games” (documentary)
1974 – “All day till evening” (documentary)
1975 – “Sarkor” (documentary)
1975 – “Typhoon-Tamara” (documentary)
1975 – “Skilful hands” (documentary)
1975 – “Distance lightning is good” (documentary)
1978 – “Hussein-polvon and sons” (documentary)
1980 – “Rondo for a champion” (documentary)
1985 – “Wound” (documentary)
1986 – “Keys to the city” (documentary)
1987 – “Wolves in town” (documentary)
1988 – “Straight from the source” (documentary)
2006 – “Rossosh-ragtime” (documentary)
2007 – “You and I” (documentary)
2007 – “Heat” (documentary)
2010 – “Life of Peter” (documentary)
2009-2010 – “Old walls”, “Basso ostinato”, “Semen and Alexandra”, “Home”,
“Bereginya” and others (12 films).Rolan Bykov Fund (documentary)
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Recognition and awards
1986 – X
PASEGMO DI PALERMO award; Gold medal and winner prize at the AllUnion Sports Films Festival; Jury award at the International Film Festival
in Parnu (“Typhoon-Tamara”), Laureate of the All-Union Review of Young
Filmmakers (“All day till evening”); Award for Best director of documentary
film at the International Film Festival in Bastau (“Adult games”),
2008 – A
ward at the International Film Festival in Warsaw; nomination at the
International Film Festival in Wiesbaden; participation in International
Film Festival “Stalker”, “Flahertiana”, “Artdocfest” – honorary mention of
jury (“Rossosh-ragtime”); Winner award in a nomination and award at the
Documentary Film Festival “Sol Zemli” in Samara (“You and I”).
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VAN'KA
PRODUCER:
Vitaly Eroshenya
DIRECTOR:
Dito Tsintsadze
SCRIPTWRITER:
Ilya Tsofin
GENRE: road movie
RUNNING TIME: 100 min
BUDGET: 35,000,000 Rub
PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
PITCHING: Introduction of the project
to professional audience and search for
financial partners
CONTACTS:
Vitaly Eroshenya,
[email protected]
This is the story about a journey, a “road movie” or an “Odyssey” of the 21st Century. Van’ka
is a nickname the drivers gave to a Chinese man Liu Wan. More than anything in the world Liu Wan
wants to return back home but in order to do that he, just as mythological Odyssey, has to go on
a pilgrimage, pass through a lot of adventures and overcome many difficulties. Together with his
partner Russian driver Nikolay Liu Wan will take a long road from hostility and mutual intolerance
to sympathy and friendship, they will come to an understanding that people being so different at the
core are very much alike. And the whole world, just as it was before, still values courage, fellowship,
love and loyalty.
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Synopsis
Liu Wan was just one of many Chinese people living in Kazakhstan and selling
Chinese goods at the well-known junk market in Alma-Ata. His innermost
desire was to earn enough money and come back to his hometown in
Szechuan province where his father and wife with their little son awaited for
him. Liu Wan dreamt of this homecoming and the presents he would bring to
his family – silk red dress for the wife, a TV-set for the father and an exotic toy
for the son. But the universe had other plans for Liu Wan.
Once Liu Wan had a nasty fight with two truck drivers at the market and even
ended up cracking open the head of one during the struggle. The following
blamestorming showed the injured driver was hired by the company of a local
crime boss to deliver an important freight to a faraway location. There was
no one to step into the driver’s shoes so the boss made a decision to send Liu
Wan on a cruise especially considering he looked like an express image of
the hurt trucker. Liu Wan’s passport was taken from him, he was threatened
to be sent to jail and promised to be given money if he only agrees to cover
for the driver and deliver the freight in time. (The due time of the delivery is
a very important aspect that will play its role in the story later on). The poor
Chinese had no other option but to take the job and transport the goods from
Alma-Ata to the distant Germany. In the cortege of ten cars Liu Wan got under
way. The Kazakhstani drivers took their new colleague who appeared out of
the blue with mistrust and awareness. He kept to himself, was tightfisted
and quiet, different from them, in other words he was an outsider, and no
one likes outsiders. His already hard enough situation got even worse from
the fact that he had an enemy for a partner – it was one of the two drivers he
had a fight with – Nikolay Gontarev. Liu Wan injured his companion and for
that reason not only Nikolay didn’t want to share a truck with the Chinese but
threatened to throw him out of the car somewhere on the road. The mutual
resentment got even bigger when on the very first stop the men managed
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to argue and get into a fight. Nikolay announced to all his fellow drivers
that Liu Wan isn’t going to make it to Berlin. At the nearest stop he tried to
implement his threat. When the cortege was already on Russian territory the
drivers sent Liu Wan to go buy some beer at the bar. The local bullies saw
him and decided to teach him a lesson on why a man of an expressed Asian
appearance should not go to a Russian bar. Surprisingly to the truckers who
were nearby following the course of the events Liu Wan didn’t only avoid the
beating but was able to send the hooligans flying.
This incident made the drivers look a bit differently at Van’ka – Liu Wan
got this nickname from his partner Nikolay. We can’t say how Liu Wan’s
relationship with the new colleagues would have worked out later because
his truck got broken, the cortege went off and Van’ka and Nikolay were left
behind. The frenemies had to travel on their own. Lots of different events
happened to them on their way, some of them were awkward, some were
funny or even tragic, but it was the way it should be, all sorts of things happen
when you are on the road. While travelling together Liu Wan and Nikolay got
used to each other, but there was one obstacle that didn’t let them fully come
to terms – the due time of the delivery. Liu Wan was worried they might not
make it in time in which case his chances to come back home would vanish
in front of his eyes. Nikolay was much more reluctant about the problem just
the way a Russian vagabond would. He was sure if that is the God's will they
have nothing to worry about and will definitely make it, on the other hand
if it's not so – why even bother? Having this in mind Nikolay took his time
during the trip and denied himself nothing. Once when Nikolay had a couple
of drinks and decided to spend a day or two at his female friends’ place
Van’ka called their boss for he could no longer withstand those delays and
procrastination. Nikolay was reprimanded by for wasting time; once again
he had spite against Liu Wan and tried to get his old plan into action. Using
the very first chance he left Liu Wan at a gas station and left. This could be
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the end of their journey together if not for the stubbornness and persistence
of Nikolay’s partner. Van’ka went through unthinkable trouble to catch up
with Nikolay and found him in a genuinely tragic situation. While being alone
on the road the trucker met a good-looking woman who turned out to be a
thieve. This stray acquaintance poisoned him with clonidine and stole all of his
money. But the lost money wasn't his biggest trouble at the time, she gave
him so much poison Nikolay was close to death when Liu Wan found him. If
not for Van'ka Nikolay Gontarev would die from the poisoning in the prime of
his life. Luckily Liu Wan met his fellow countrymen in Moscow, other Chinese
working at one of Moscow markets helped to save Nikolay’s life. With the
assistance of his new friends Van’ka could fulfill one of his sacred dreams – he
always wanted to go to the Lenin’s Mausoleum. The Chinese even proposed
for Van'ka to stay in Moscow but he rejected this kind offer. He wanted to
come back home and that desire turned the remaining trip to Berlin into the
race against time. The new hardships awaited for the friends on the way to
their destination – in Belorussia people tried to extort money from them, in
Poland racketeers attacked their truck but nothing could stop Liu Wan. At the
end of the journey Nikolay finally realized how far his partner would go in his
urge to return back home. From that point not only Nikolay respected Van'ka
but also was a bit scared of him. However Liu Wan was merely interested in
Nikolay's feelings. He was taken over by the need to arrive to Germany on
schedule, and he succeeded. The truck was at the delivery point right on time.
Liu Wan could go home now. Everything happened exactly the way he
imagined in his dreams. Liu Wan was back home with his son snuggling
by his side and switching the channels of a TV. Liu Wan’s father looked at
him with admiration, his eyes were gazing from Van’ka to the TV screen and
back. His wife was in front of him wearing the brand new silk red dress. The
young woman blushed; her face was going red either from a drink or from
joy and pleasant confusion.
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All his dreams finally came true. The only thing he didn't realize (but
his wise father did) was whether he actually had to go through this great
adventure to return back home or he could have stayed home and never
leave them at the first place.
Director's vision
I decided to shoot this movie the evening I heard the story for the first time.
The work on synopsis, then on the script which by the way was rewritten
several times, happened much later, but the decision to make a film out of this
story came to me the same very evening Ilya shared it with me.
A road-movie is a story about journey, it gives you a chance to travel with
the character, to make him face danger, deal with unsolvable problems and
mortal enemies, what could be more compelling for a director? With all that
being said if you run across such an unusual character as Van'ka you should
be thankful to the higher powers for they definitely are at your favor. Imagine
the possibility to see the world through the eyes of a foreigner, and not just
any foreigner but a person of another civilization who grew up gaining social,
cultural and moral experience so different from ours. This is the possibility
we have thanks to a Chinese driver called Van'ka. Similar to any other
road-movie character for Van'ka the journey itself obtains the metaphorical
meaning, he is not only driving from point A to point B, he is on a mission to
find his freedom and self-identity.
I want to compare Van'ka to Odyssey who in my opinion was the first roadmovie character. It might sound counter intuitive but for me Van'ka is the
Odyssey of the 21st Century. Like a hero of the antique world he is dragged
into the universe where the unknown and insubmissive laws are in power
and where he can only rely on himself. That is why the hero fights against
the whole world on his own or tries to come to terms with this new reality.
At this point the story acquires another layer – the problem of international
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miscommunication. I have been interested in the relationship between “the
locals” and “the foreigners” for quite some time. I spoke about the problem
of misunderstanding between natives and aliens with my viewers through
some of my films. For example my movie “Lost killers” tells a story of the
foreigners who try to live in Germany according to the rules and regulations
of their home country. The main character of “The Man from the Embassy” is
a German who tries to help a deprived Georgian girl. The thing is what's good
for Germany can just not work for Caucasus. With my last movie “Invasion”
I tried to imagine what might have happened if the guests – welcomed or
unwelcomed – would no longer have regard for their host. For those reasons
I find pleasure in following the relationship of my main character Van'ka
with Russian people, I want to see how he differs from them, what are his
weaknesses and powers. The genre of this movie gives a lot of possibilities
to test Van’ka to destruction, try to break him and see what happens. Just
like his antique predecessor Van’ka is being threatened, others are trying
to charm or bribe him. Similar to Odyssey he descends to the kingdom of
the dead and comes back to the living. Van’ka even owns a bow, Odyssey’s
deadly weapon. But the most important thing they have in common is the
overwhelming urge to come back home. This urge turns a common Chinese
truck driver into a metaphorical character. There are no barriers high enough
to stop him in reaching his shore. This quality of his at the same time attracts
and frightens me. There is a deep symbolical meaning in the final scene of the
film where Van'ka's father comes to a Chinese toy factory. The endless line
of toys absolutely alike with the one our hero brought home from the distant
Europe puts fear in my heart and makes me fall to thinking.
In conclusion I want to notice I am not going to make a film of a strongly
pronounced genre. It should combine the elements of drama and comedy,
I want it to show a sudden flip from tears to laughter and back just the way it
happens in the real life.
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PITCHING
Dito Tsintsadze
director
Born in Tbilisi in 1957. Graduated from Georgian State Theatrical Institute,
Tbilisi, in 1981, specialization – film director. First nine years worked at a film
studio “Grusfilm”, later at a Georgian film company “Shvidkatsa” (years 1990
to 1994). Since 1997 Tsintsadze became a scholarship holder of Nipkow and
DAAD programs (both in Berlin). Dito lives in Berlin with wife Marika and son
Nikolos but remains a Georgian citizen.
Recognition and awards
1991 – The “Golden Eagle” award for the Best Art Direction at the
International Film Festival in Tbilisi (film “Guests”)
1993 – The “Golden Eagle” award for the Best Direction at the International
Film Festival in Tbilisi (film “On the Borderline”)
2003 – The “Golden Shell” award for the Best Film at the International San
Sebastián Film Festival (film “Gun-shy”)
Filmography
1988 – “The Drawn Circle”
1990 – “Guests”
1990 – “Return” (TV film)
1991 – “House”
1993 – “On the Borderline”
2000 – “Lost Killers”
2003 – “Gun-shy”
2006 – “Reverse” (TV film)
2006 – “The Man from the Embassy”
2008 – “Middle Men”
2009 – “Eldar Shengelaya”
2012 – “Invasion”
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Vitaly Eroshenya
Ilya Tsofin
producer
Born in Saint Petersburg in 1982. Studied at the Saint Petersburg State University
of Cinema and Television, Management faculty. Since 2000 worked as event
manager. In 2007 designed and brought to life “Late-night screening” project
which takes place at “Khudozhestvenny” movie theatre in Moscow till date. One of
the organizers of “Cinema in style” program (Saint Petersburg). In 2010 together
with the scriptwriter Ilya Tsofin started a company “Litsey”. The company is
working on five projects at the moment, one of them (“Saint Petersburg, I love
you”) is currently in the pre-production stage. It is going to be an almanacmovie. Several directors such as Tilda Schweiger, Jaco Van Dormael, Sophie
Lellouche, Ann Fontaine, Dito Tsintsadze and many others already confirmed
their participation.
scriptwriter
Graduated from a screenwriting department of the All-Russian State Institute of
Cinematography, workshop of I.V. Vaisfeld and S.A. Mikhalchenko. Worked as a
TV director for several years. Now lives in Berlin.
Filmography
2011 – “The Best Summer of our Life”
2012 – “Personal File of Major Baranova” (TV film)
2012 – “Stierlitz' wife” (TV film)
2013 – “Pretty Woman”
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LAST MINUTE
PRODUCERS:
Oliver Damian, Elena Szameitat
DIRECTIR:
Timo Semik
SCRIPTWRITER:
Timo Semik
GENRE: neo-western
RUNNING TIME: 100 min
BUDGET: 2 million euro
Purpose of the participation in the pitching:
search of co-producers, investors, partners
for financing and production
The endless steppes of central Asia. A woman and two men waiting for an unequal fight against
invincible army under the command of the martial warlord. In their last 24 hours of life, with no
chance to escape, our heroes face the choice – to surrender without fighting or to outdo themselves.
special
CONTACTS:
Elena Szameitat,
[email protected]
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SYNOPSIS
Producer's vision
Once upon today in the Asian steppe of the post-Soviet republics. Three
moribund souls before their fight against the army of an unpredictable
warlord. The young daydreamer Stas would never dare to confess his love
to Valerie, the unattainable businesswoman from Europe. He saves her life
by killing one of Ali Khan's Bikers – his death sentence; nobody escapes the
vengeance of the warlord, whose face is always hidden under a black hood.
Their flight ends at the godforsaken train station of the former Russian soldier
Roman, who surprisingly wants to put up a hopeless battle with Khan.
Though each one deals different with dying in a few hours, all three spin
around the same question: “Why haven't I lived as I wanted?”
No one takes the homeless juggler Stas seriously, he was never threatened,
never had to kill. But also has never fought for anything. Now he has to. The
Kalashnikov feels well in his hands, under Romans Drill he even turns out to
be a talented shooter – but he remains paralyzed with fear. When he gives up
trying to win a lost battle and conquers Valerie's heart instead, Stas finds the
strength to face his death.
Valerie, focussed on her career, is sure to be picked up soon by
helicopter. Without cell phone, ruined her companies order, lost control,
she recognizes a weakness, a tough businesswoman never would allow
herself, as a strength: To abandon herself to her feelings; finding a love
with no prospect of return.
After the murder of his great love Rajah Roman had nothing else but nothing
but vodka. When Rajahs ghost appears to him, his fire blazes for an absurd
goal: To be with her again in death. On the other side Valerie predicts the
actually talented graduate a great career in Europe. Roman stands between
two women. When he realizes that no one but he himself is responsible for
his luck, it's too late. No mercy, their last fight breaks upon them – but one is
more unpredictable than Ali Khan.
The “eastern Western” is written in an exiting and entertaining way and offers
definitely a new direction in this genre. Shot in English with a renowned
international cast this project can be a real cinema hit.
Director's vision
Genre: Modern Western-Drama Setting: Today in the Asian steppe.
Story: A woman and two men in the wide steppe in their final hours before
a hopeless battle against the overwhelming army of a warlord.
The external conflict brings tension to the story (“How will the fight end, will
they all have to die?”), and moreover its real quality: The seemingly absurd
ways the protagonists embark in the face of death.
Just because the three protagonists are facing death in a few hours, it is a
story about life. Each character reacts differently but they all have the same
question: “Why haven't I lived like I wanted?” Fear of death is fear of having
missed life. Compressed into 24 hours and one place they finally give up or
grow beyond themselves.
The director’s job is to make the audience feel the near death. However, the
external conflict has to be told economically, for showing the development of
the three characters under the pressure.
Being exposed to deadly danger in outlaw wilderness is a classical premise
of the western genre. Transferred into the Asian steppe between post-soviets
republics is not only visually open a new, teasing side of the genre.
Western is a myth of the violent conquest that entailed the established USsociety. Today, the “setting” of some regions in the world is similar with no yet
established society or state. So this eastern Western is besides the story itself
an exciting reflection of a current repetition of history.
Modern world also corresponds with the three protagonists from different
cultures getting along in one globalized world.
project
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Timo Semik
writer, director
Timo Semik is a trained actor and screenwriter. Besides acting for stage and
film, he worked as set designer at theatre, production manager and script
instructor.
In 2003 he founded his company Lessismore Pictures and started to produce
and direct his own films. Additionally he is developing trans-media series.
Filmography
2003 – Einen für unterwegs (short), director
2004 – Quizshow (short), director
2005 – New New Economy (short), director
2007 – Sucki (feature), director
2007 – Bulle brennt (short), director
2012 – Last Minute (feature), script
Oliver Damian
producer
Oliver Damian is managing director and producer of 27 Films Production. With
now more than 15 years of professional experience in the film business, he
is a well-known and appreciated partner in the German film business. He
founded 27 FILMS PRODUCTION in 2005 and runs two office one located
in Berlin and one in Frankfurt. His latest feature film productions include
tragic-comedy THE RAINBOWMAKER by Nana Djordjadze (D/FI/NL/RU
2008), the war-drama DAWN OF THE WORLD by Abbas Fahdel (F/D 2008),
the psychological drama THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN by Mia HansenLøve (F/D 2008 – Special Jury Prize/Cannes) and the science-fiction cultcomedy IRON SKY by Timo Vuorensola (FI/D/AU 2012). Upcoming films
include beside Timo Semik's LAST MINUTE the new film by director Dito
Tsintsadze COMPETITION (2013) and Matthias Lutthardt's THE FOX (2014). Oliver was EFP's appointed PRODUCER ON THE MOVE in 2010 in Cannes and
is member of the European and German Film Academy.
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PITCHING
Elena Szameitat
producer
Elena Szameitat is MA for Russian/American studies. Since 1996 she is
working on the production side of film business, which she learned from
scratch.
At the beginning of 2008 she founded sunnysideup Film & Service as a service
company with the focus on organisation and realisation of Film and TV
projects for Russian clients in Germany and other European countries.
In 2010/2011 she successfully finished an advanced training for Fiction
Producer with CCI degree. Elena Szameitat is member of the GermanRussian Film Academy.
Filmography
2009 – Krai, Casting german characters
2009 – Vozvrachenje Sindbada, service production
2010 – Nemec, service production
2010 – Svjaz vremen, Casting leading characters
2012 – Sindbad 4th Season, service production
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program
PITCHING
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PITCHING
6 June
7 June
8 June
11.00 – 13.00 Introductory talk
by Marten Rabarts
(Conference hall, Park Hotel)
15.00 – 18.30 Individual sessions
of the participants with trainer
(Conference hall, Park Hotel)
14.00 – 17.00 Individual meetings
of the participants
with potential partners
11.00 – 19.00Individual sessions
of the participants with trainer
(Conference hall, Park Hotel)
11.00 – 19.00 Individual meetings
of the participants
with potential partners
11.00 – 14.00 Pitching
(Conference hall, Park Hotel)
15.00 Announcement of the results
of the Pitching
15.00 – 16.00 Networking Event