Filming has started in Latvia on Serafima – a new thriller drama by renowned director Veiko Õunpuu. This interpretation of Vahur Afanasjev’s monumental work Serafima and Bogdan tells a story of power, love, and betrayal. The main roles will be played by both well-known Estonian actors and international stars.
The lead role of the thriller drama – Dr. Vasar, a psychiatrist – will be played by Priit Võigemast. The role of his patient Serafima goes to Georgian actress Tinatin Dalakishvili, familiar to audiences from Extraction II. Serafima’s brother Bogdan will be portrayed by Polish actor Bartosz Bielenia, awarded in 2020 as Best Young European Actor and that same year honoured with the European Film Academy award for Best Actor. The antagonist in the thriller drama, Serafima’s husband Raimond, will be played by Tambet Tuisk. The film will also feature many beloved Estonian actors, including Elmo Nüganen, Rain Simmul, Peeter Volkonski, Taavi Teplenkov, Katariina Tamm, Katariina Unt, Julia Aug, and Liina Tennosaar.
According to director Veiko Õunpuu, Serafima will reveal the essence of Afanasjev’s novel, which is especially relevant in today’s world and circumstances. “Even now, systems of power rewrite our memories, suppress resistance, and traumatize entire nations. Put simply, Serafima is a victim of the system – in a world where those who preserve their humanity are punished, while authority favours and rewards those who have completely lost their moral compass,” Õunpuu explained, outlining the central thesis of the film.
Producer Andreas Kask added that the feature film Serafima is a brilliant example of a unified Estonian-Latvian-Polish film space. “Almost the entire creative team comes from Estonia, but Latvia provides the environment and technical capabilities needed to tell this story. We want to offer the film team the best possible conditions and resources so they can realize their vision. That’s why we are also working closely with Poland, which has not participated in Estonian filmmaking for a very long time. Apollo Film Productions is likewise making a significant contribution to the film’s production,” he said, adding that the Latvian Reimbursement Fund and Riga Film Fund are also supporting the production.
“All 33 shooting days will take place in Latvia, in locations that allow us to convey the visual language of the story. We searched for suitable places in Estonia for a long time. It was a real challenge, because environments corresponding to the era have not survived here,” Kask explained. Despite the clearly recognizable style of Õunpuu, viewers should not fear that the novel will be overshadowed. “This film is a collaboration of two great authors – separate works, yet ones that complement each other,” Andreas Kask added.
The film’s director is Veiko Õunpuu (Autumn Ball, The Temptation of St. Tony, The Last Ones). The screenplay is written by Veiko Õunpuu and Martin Algus (The Traitor, Life and Love, Kalev). The cinematographer of Serafima is Mart Taniel (Autumn Ball, 1944, November). The film is produced by Nafta Films, whose portfolio includes the Apothecary Melchior trilogy, the spy thriller O2, and the film Something Real, set to premiere early next year. Co-producers are Nafta Films Latvia, Polish company Orka Films, and Apollo Film Productions. Producers of Serafima are Andreas Kask and Esko Rips. Co-producers are Alicja Gancarz (Orka Films), Gunda Bergmane (Nafta Films Latvia), as well as Tanel Tatter and Veiko Esken from Apollo Film Productions.
The film is financed by the Estonian Film Institute, the Estonian Cultural Endowment (Eesti Kultuurkapital), Creative Europe Media, Estonian Public Broadcasting, Apollo Film Productions, the Polish Film Institute, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, and the Riga Film Fund. The total budget of the film amounts to €2.2 million.
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