23/12/2009

Era Film’s Rasa Miskinyte, one of Lithuania’s most experienced documentary film producers, is working on two new projects featuring the internationally renowned Lithuanian director Sharunas Bartas (Seven Invisible Men).

Fling a Stone, David! is based on the eponymous book by Vincas Guedra. Set in 1948, it centres on a young man and his attempts to survive under the Soviet regime.

“The occupation of the Soviet Union (from 1941-91) was a very long and difficult period for Lithuania, the consequences of which can’t be exaggerated,” said Bartas in a statement. “I feel a responsibility to pay tribute to that whole generation – those who survived and are still among us and those who sacrificed themselves during this time. They are like David from the Bible. They dared to throw a stone against the giant. We couldn’t…call ourselves Lithuanians without them.”

Miskinyte was at the Baltic Event in early December, pitching the €3m project to potential European co-producers. She is also producing a documentary about the Lithuanian filmmaker, Sharunas Bartas, an Army of One, by French filmmaker Guillaume Coudray. The director described his project as a very personal portrait of an artist, based on original footage taken a decade ago, when he worked with Bartas on his 2000 film Freedom.

Bartas is moreover finishing Neither Before Nor After, a co-production with French outfit Les Productions Lazennec. Set after the collapse of the Soviet regime, it tells the story of a man with ties to the Russian crime world who is torn between two women. The director stars in the film alongside Klavdia Korshunova and Eliza Sednaoui.

The film, which could be ready for the upcoming Berlin Film Festival, will be released in France by Pierre Grise Distribution.