WHAT LIES BENEATH | FEATURE FILM IN DEVELOPMENT | RUNTIME 90Min | COMING OF AGE DRAMA
LOGLINE:
Under the watchful eye of the Midnight Sun, a teenager embarks on an odyssey into the depths of a Scandinavian Village to unravel the mystery of his origin, which shapes his transition into adulthood.
DIRECTOR NOTE:
We draw this story from our own experiences and turbulent relationships with our parents to craft a narrative that delves deep into the complexities of human connections. Our personal stories serve as the foundation for a universal tale that resonates with audiences profoundly. Maciej’s story reflects many modern family situations. For us, it is important to shed light on the quiet heroes living within society.
At its core, our film explores the intricacies of the parent-child relationship, a theme that is both deeply personal and universally relatable. Through our characters, we aim
to delve into the emotions, conflicts, and growth of this fundamental connection. Our narrative is not just reflective; it's also social. It reflects the broader canvas of a New Modern Europe, where old traditions collide with contemporary values. The Baltic Sea connection symbolizes the shared histories and destinies of our characters, with their intertwined fates mirroring the interconnectedness of the modern world.
We aspire to create a narrative mood reminiscent of magical realism, where the ordinary is tinged with the extraordinary, inviting the audience into a world where dreams and reality intertwine. In essence, our film is a coming-of-age story that transcends generations, cultures, and borders.
As a director, I believe that the best way to create truthful “Here and Now” cinema is often to work with non-professional actors. I’m always striving to get the most out of the location in which we are shooting, whether it's a complex city, countryside, or village, to find the perfect scenery and achieve our story goals. The connection between characters and their surroundings is a key value in many of my stories.
Karol Lindholm
WHAT LIES BENEATH | FEATURE FILM IN DEVELOPMENT | RUNTIME 90Min | COMING OF AGE DRAMA
PRODUCERS NOTE:
Around 15% of children in the EU are currently raised in single-parent families, and the percentage of such families is growing rapidly, having increased by 30% in the last 13 years. At the same time, the highest rates are observed in Northern European countries such as Denmark, Estonia, Sweden, and Lithuania (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/EDN-20190601-1).
This trend requires society to reflect on this topic to help teenagers understand themselves in a changing world during the most difficult moments of their formation.
The estimated budget of the film is 1.8 million euros. The financial plan for the project has been developed as a co-production of: Sweden, Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania. The focus is on securing multi-source financing and ensuring stability against any external factors. In every country, two main funding sources will be utilized - the national film fund and television broadcasters. Additionally, we intend to request funding from Eurimages. The partnership between the co-producing countries extends beyond just financing, and will also involve the selection of creative and production teams, including actors, cinematographers, set designers, sound designers, and editors.
The genre of the film – Coming of Age drama – is very close to me. The last two feature films I've made in this genre were both successful. The film “Stop-Zemlia”, directed by Katerina Gornostay, which premiered at the Berlinale, received the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury as Best Feature Film, as well as 23 щерук awards and 10 nominations. The premiere of the latest film “Nazavzhdi-Nazavzhdi”, directed by Anna Buryachkova, took place this year as part of the program of the Venice Film Festival (Orizzonti Extra). Both films are feature debuts. All of this, along with the director's previous experience, as well as the result of working on the project within Ekran+ under the supervision of Paweł Pawlikowski, suggests that the movie will be successful.
In recent years, there has been a surge in popularity for the film genre, particularly in the realm of series and movies. My objective is to transform it into a mainstream art house drama that can be enjoyed by a wider audience. This will be achieved through a combination of festival distribution in cinemas and availability on streaming platforms.
Alexey Zgonik ESSE HOUSE
DireCTED BY:
Karol Lindholm
WRITTEN BY:
ALEKSANDRA ZIELIŃSKA, KAROL LINDHOLM
CAST:
TOMASZ KOT, FILIPPO SCOTTI, MARTA STALMIERSKA
PRODUCTION COMPANIES:
PRODUCERS:
SIRI HJORTON WAGNER, IZABELA KISZKA-HOFLIK, VITALII SHEREMETIEV, ALEKSEY ZGONIK
DISTRIBUTORS:
COMING SOON...
WHAT LIES BENEATH FEATURE FILM | IN DEVELOPMENT | RUNTIME 90Min | COMING OF AGE DRAMA
