Latvia has a “Shooting Star”

Elīna Vaska, who had her screen debut at the Berlinale’s Crystal Bear-winning film “Mellow Mud” in 2016, has been named among the ten European Shooting Stars to attend the 67^th Berlin International Film Festival.

The jury has made an excellent comment on Elīna’s performance: “She has just made her debut, and what a debut this is. We could compare with some classic predecessors, but we won’t. Elina’s performance is all her own, subtle, contemplative and with a soulful glow. It is the power of the unspoken in a very pure form.”

Elīna Vaska is among the ten most gifted performers, chosen for the 20^th edition of European Shooting Stars by the jury of industry experts. The young performers will be presented to film industry, public and international press during the opening weekend of the 67^th Berlin International Film Festival (February 9 – 19).

During the four day Shooting Star event in Berlin (Feb 10 – 13, 2017), the ten actors will take part in a tailormade programme of profile-raising workshops and meetings with influential members of the International Casting Directors Network (ICDN), filmmakers and other important industry players, alongside interviews and photo-shoots with international media. The weekend provides them all with the significant and timely exposure their emerging talent deserves.

Being a European Shooting Star puts them in the first row of young performers to be considered for international productions. As member of this year’s jury Lucinda Syson comments on the importance of the programme: “The event has become one of the most prestigious platforms for discovering and encouraging incredible new talent across Europe and I am honoured to be a part of the jury. My fellow colleagues in the International Casting Directors Network value this event so much as it provides us with a unique opportunity to meet the actors in one place. We can then put them forward for projects whereas we may never have previously considered them.”

Further members of the 2017 jury are: former Shooting Star Dorka Gryllus from Hungary, director Xavier Koller from Switzerland, Portuguese producer Pandora da Cunha Telles and Swedish film critic and writer Jan Lumholdt.

The European Shooting Stars 2017 are supported by the following EFP member organisations: Danish Film Institute, German Films, Istituto Luce Cinecittà (Italy), National Film Centre of Latvia, EYE International (The Netherlands), Polish Film Institute, Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual I.P. / ICA (Portugal), Romanian Film Promotion, Slovenian Film Center, Swedish Film Institute.