For the first time Group projects to be presented in the line-ups of three leading Ukrainian distribution companies.
On July 16-19 in Odesa, Summer Film Market of Odessa International Film Festival will take place. And for the first time projects of FILM.UA Group, Animagrad and Kinorob will be presented at the market by three leading Ukrainian distributors – UFD, MMD and Volga Ukraine.
On July 16 in the framework of the joint presentation of theatrical projects by UFD and FILM.UA Group, the market participants will see an exclusive video about work on political thriller directed by Agnieszka Holland, Gareth Jones, with its premiere planned for 2019. The film plot is based on a story of a young Welsh journalist Gareth Jones who went to the Soviet Union in 1933 to uncover and tell the world community the truth about the crimes of Stalin’s regime and the Famine in Ukraine. Something that seemed a routine journalist investigation at first turned into a deadly dangerous journey; its discoveries laid the foundation for Animal Farm, a novel by George Orwell. The lead roles in the film co-produced by Poland (Film Produkcja), Ukraine (Kinorob with the support of Ukrainian State Film Agency) and the UK (Boy Jones Films) were played by James Norton, Vanessa Kirby, Piter Sarsgaard, Joseph Mawle, Kenneth Cranham, Yakiv Tkachenko, Oleg Drach, and others. The filming of the thriller took place this year in Ukraine, Poland, and Scotland.
During the presentation, one of the most expected projects of the following year will also be showcased: this is historical action feature The Rising Hawk produced by Kinorob with the support of Ukrainian State Film Agency. Right now a big international team from Ukraine, the USA, Kazakhstan, the UK and Mongolia headed by director Akhtem Seitablayev is working on the film. The film market guests will be shown an exclusive interview with the actor playing Zakhar Berkut, the legendary Robert Patrick, and the first backstage footage from the film set. The Rising Hawk premiere is scheduled for 2019.
Besides, the presentation participants will find out how the work on The Pulse sports action drama feature is progressing; the film is based on a real story of Ukrainian athlete, Paralympic champion of 2008 Oksana Boturchuk; they will also find out about the progress of Anna de Kiev historical drama feature. Both projects are developed by Kinorob.
.jpg)
Moreover, the guests of a joint presentation by UFD and FILM.UA Group will find out more about the main animation project of the studio, the future film Mavka. The Forest Song, which is now in the production stage. It is during the last year’s Odessa film market that the project presentation took place along with the premiere of the teaser; till now, it has been viewed for more than 5,000,000 times. Now the visitors will be able to see how the future animation film has transformed into Mavka’s Universe, a wide-scale cross-platform project, which includes books, AR apps, clothing and jewelry lines, a 3D show, and a joint campaign with WWF. Besides, the presentation guests will be able to see exclusive footage from the animation film and see one fully completed scene.
.jpg)
On July 17, MMD and FILM.UA Group will present at the market a comedy feature Crazy Wedding (produced by Prototype Production and FILM.UA Group with the support of Ukrainian State Film agency and MOZGI Entertainment), which will go into wide Ukrainian release starting from October 4. Celebrity producer of the project Yuriy Gorbunov will present the first official trailer to the “crazy” comedy, and the project team will share its plans for the film’s extensive promo campaign. Besides, the presentation guests will be the first to see several scenes from Crazy Wedding with the participation of main characters and Ukrainian show business celebs: Oleksiy Potapenko (Potap), MONATIK, Yuriy Gorbunov, Oleksiy Suprun (Petya Bumper) and, naturally, Oleg Vynnyk.
.png)
Moreover, during this presentation Cartoon Stories project will be showcased; this is a collection of short animated films created through a joint effort of FILM.UA Group, MMD, and MULTIPLEX cinema chain. The first collection which was released on June 28 included an episode of The Eskimo Girl animated series, as well as pilot episodes of The Whizz Kids Club, Mom Hurries Home (Glowberry), and TIKI, which the audience will be able to see for the first time and only in cinemas. Cartoon Stories became the first case of regular theatrical screenings of short animated films in Ukraine. The first collection will be shown during the whole summer, and during fall vacation the young viewers will be in for the second issue of this animation digest. In winter and spring, new issues will be presented, including both cartoons from Animagrad and Glowberry and cartoons and series episodes produced by other Ukrainian studios.
.jpg)
July 17 will also see the presentation of Volga Ukraine distributing company; the market participants will be showcased Felix Austria project. This is a romantic fantasy feature based on a bestselling novel with the same title by Ukrainian writer Sofia Andrukhovych that FILM.UA Group keeps actively working on. The action of the film unfolds in 1900 on the outskirts of Austro-Hungarian empire, in the picturesque town of Stanislav (current Ivano-Frankivsk). And in the center of the story are the destinies of two women, mistress Adele and her servant Stefa whose lives have intertwined in such an unbreakable bond that it is impossible to live, breathe or leave… The project producer is Nadia Zayonchkovska, the screenwriter is Alina Semeryakova in collaboration with Sofia Andrukhovych, and the director is Khrystyna Syvolap.
Besides, on July 18 in the framework of Odesa IFF ScripTeast Series Projects Hide-and-Seek series will be pitched; on July 19 in the main section of features producer Nadia Zayonchkovska and director Khrystyna Syvolap will present Felix Austria project, and on July 20, out-of-competition in Work-in-progress session Gareth Jones political thriller will be pitched by producer Claudia Smieja, screenwriter and producer Andrea Serdaru-Barbul, and producer Egor Olesov.
