Kinorob continues shooting of a feature Ukrainian adventure fantasy based on the eponymous book by Vladimir Rutkovsky - "The Stronghold". This is the story of a student Victor who through a mysterious time portal gets to the fantastic past, where he meets bogatyrs Oleshko Popovich, Ilya Muromets and Dobrynya Nikitich, and joins them to protect the stronghold from the Polovtsian. Vitya fights mythical heroes, struggles with his fear and becomes courageous.
"The Stronghold" is not a literal adaptation of eponymously-named book, we, together with the writers Sasha Dermansky and Jaroslav Voytseshek, rather used it as a designer, took the idea and the best parts, and "recompiled" in a new way, according to the laws of the genre. This is my first feature work, and I want to prove that in Ukraine we can shoot a decent genre movie. The Ukrainian author's cinema has already found its niche and has declared itself at numerous international film festivals, but now we need to show our audience that we can shoot a good film for a wide audience: entertaining, interesting and unbanal - said the film's director, Yuriy Kovalev. - Genre film is a great responsibility, requires a certain rhythm, structure and completeness, and this is for me a kind of challenge. I'm curious to feel this size and format, as well as to make people come to the cinema and not just watch a movie, but watch a high-quality Ukrainian adventure film".
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"We have dreamed to make a film in the fantasy genre, based on our, Ukrainian material. And the book of Vladimir Rutkovsky appeared to be a really good base for this. Both strong story and professional shooting technology are important for this genre. And I think we gained enough experience to test ourselves in this direction. What is important - at the production stage we have already gained the support of one of the leading media groups in the country - Starlight media.
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We have great actors, a very strong crew and I'm really happy to work with them on this exciting project", - said producer Egor Olesov.
The role of Oleshko Popovich is played by Roman Lutsky ("Paradjanov", "Brothers"). "I liked the material itself, and that finally it's a story about our national Ukrainian heroes, real supermen, - says Roman Lutsky. - I play a very interesting character - Oleshko Popovich. Before now, I always thought that his name was Alyosha Popovich, but no, when I began to read history books, I learned that he was originally Oleshko. I would not want to share, but still he is our Ukrainian bogatyr, and now, after a long pause, we'll revive our heroes".
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Action of The Stronghold takes place in the past, so not only costumes, but also the location had to look real. So, the crew decided to shoot in the Carpathian Mountains, at the Rocks of Dovbush. "To make it easier for the viewer to feel the time and immerse in the atmosphere, it was very important to find the right environment for our fairy heroes. It had to be very unusual and untouched nature, - says the director. - Here, at the Rocks of Dovbush, the atmosphere is incredible - these stones, rocks, roots, trees, moss - here you feel like a child, it seems that you really got into another world".
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In addition to the Carpathians the filming will take place at Korostyshevsky career, Teterevsky Kish, Bucha, as well as at FILM.UA Studio, where specially for the shooting the stronghold was built.
Members of the initiative group #KіnoKraina and StarLightMedia, as well as the State Film Agency also take part in the production. The release of "The Stronghold" is scheduled for the end of 2016. The film is intended for a broad family audience
Plot: The father of 14-year-old Viktor gets in trouble, and the boy is the only one to save him from the reprisal of the real gangsters. Vitya records the proofs of his father’s innocence and then runs away, hiding from his pursuers in a cave. However, he doesn’t even suspect that he’ll soon engage in real time travel! Viktor finds himself in… Kiev Rus, in the very midst of Slavs and Cumans fighting to liberate the Outpost. The medieval knights Ilya Muromets and Alyosha Popovich become his new friends. These real heroes teach Vitya all the ropes of military art, and they will strike together against their sworn enemies. Still, the boy cannot stay here long; he knows that he must come back home. Will the time portal open up again and will Vitya return in time to save his father?
GENRE: Adventure, fantasy
RELEASE DATE: autumn-winter 2016
RUNNING TIME: 100 min
COUNTRY: Ukraine
PRODUCERS: Egor Olesov, Yuriy Prilipko
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Kinorob
BUDGET: $2 000 000
