FESTIVALS Locarno
Ilmar Raag set to shoot feature as latest completed pic is announced for Locarno
by Laurence Boyce
12/07/2012 - Ilmar Raag’s second feature, Une Estonienne à Paris [trailer], will receive its world premiere in the Official Competition of the Locarno Film Festival. The Estonian director’s previous film was The Class [trailer] (2007), a film that followed the fortunes of two bullied schoolboys misfits and the shocking results of their treatment, a huge domestic hit that also screened at fests such as Karlovy Vary and Warsaw.
A French, Estonian and Belgian co-production, Une Estonienne A Paris sees legendary French actress Jeanne Moreau play Frida, an elderly Estonian lady who emigrated to France many years ago, reluctantly finding herself under the care of recent Estonian expatriate Anne. The news comes as Raag begins shooting his latest self-scripted film Kertu on the Estonian island of Saaremaa. The film is a drama that examines the life of 30-year-old Kertu, a simple girl who has spent her life living in a small village under the watchful eye of her domineering father. When she meets Villu – a handsome but degenerate village drunk – a relationship ensues much to the disapproval of the villagers and their families.
Due to premiere in autumn 2013, Kertu stars Ursula Ratasepp, Mait Malmsten, Peeter Tammearu, Külliki Saldre and Leila Säälik, and is produced by Amrion, the previous successes of which, aside from Klass, include I Was Here (2008) and the German/Estonian/Austrian co-production The Poll Diaries [trailer, film focus] (2010).
The film has a budget of approximately €500,000 and is supported by the Estonian Film Foundation, Estonian Cultural Endowment and private investors.
