First Look on Baltic Cinema: 6 Baltic Works in Progress in Locarno

For its seventh edition, the Locarno Festival’s First Look initiative (4 – 6 August) turns the spotlight on Baltic Cinema. Thanks to a partnership with the Estonian Film Institute, National Film Centre of Latvia and Lithuanian Film Centre, this year’s First Look will present 6 films in post-production chosen by the Locarno Festival.

The selected works in progress are:
The Mover by Davis Simanis Jr, produced by Gints Grube (Mistrus Media), in coproduction with Amour Fou (Luxembourg) – LATVIA
Paradise 89 by Madara Dišlere, produced by Aija Bērziņa, Alise Ģelze (Tasse Film), in coproduction with Bastei Media (Germany) – LATVIA
El Padre Medico by Vytautas Puidokas, produced by Paulius Juočeris (Ironcat), in coproduction with Lente Viva Filmes (Brazil) and Dansu Films (Lithuania) – LITHUANIA
The Little Comrade by Moonika Siimets, produced by Riina Sildos (Amrion OÜ) – ESTONIA
Portugal by Lauri Lagle, produced by Tiina Savi & Ivo Felt (Allfilm Oü) – ESTONIA
Stasis by Mantas Kvedaravicius, produced by Uljana Kim (Studio Uljana Kim), in co-production with Esse Production House (Ukraine) and Rouge International (France) – LITHUANIA

The works in progress will be accessible to industry badge holders only. Before each screening the producers and directors will introduce their film to the various international sales agents, funders, distributors and festival programmers.

Nadia Dresti, Deputy Artistic Director and Head of International: “The Locarno Industry Days are the perfect place to give the right visibility to a specific activity. First Look is an excellent opportunity for the countries in focus to highlight their cinema. Thanks to the tailor made program designed by Project Manager Markus Duffner, we are sure that the selected Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian producers will profit from the Locarno experience. Nobody can be sure, especially in these days, to sell a film, but we can assure that the films will be seen by buyers, festival programmers and other professionals in town, as well as by a high profile jury”.

Edith Sepp, Estonian Film Institute’s Director: “It is a great honour for Estonia to present its films in the First Look section of Locarno film festival.  Recent developments in our film industry eg. cash rebate, special centenary programme prove that we have a lot to offer for the international film scene and Locarno is a perfect place for that”

Dita Rietuma, Latvia Film Centre’s Director: “The Latvian National Film centre is very pleased to participate in the First Look section of the Locarno film festival, which represents a great opportunity for the Latvian film industry to highlight its production boost – 16 new features – for Latvia’s centenary programme”

Rolandas Kvietkauskas, Lithuanian Film Centre’s Director: “Film industry in small countries faces big challenges and the partnership between the Locarno film festival and the Baltic countries is a strong creative answer to these challenges. I look forward to celebrating the Lithuanian selected films”

On August 6, the jury, composed by Charles Tesson (Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique’s Artistic Director), Janet Pierson (SXSW Film Head) and Sylvain Auzou (Venice Days’ Vice Director) will be handing out an award worth 65,000 euros in post-production services, sponsored by Cinelab Romania, as well as an award worth 5,500 euros in advertising, donated by Le Film Français, and the Boogieman Media award (5.000 € value for the production of a Key Art). Baltic View and Noir Lumiere will hand-out three inkind awards (consisting in DCPs and international promotion) valued 3000 € per film. The producers will also access a special matchmaking service provided by First Look Project Manager, Markus Duffner.

Baltic Film present in Locarno Festival’s official selection (Signs of Life program) – Zirdziņ, Hallo!  (Hello Horse!) by Laila Pakalniņa – Latvia – 2017 – 24’
Pardi di Domani Jury member – Kristijonas Vildziunas (Lithuania).

Previous editions of First Look have focused on Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Israel and Poland.