Filming begins on international feature 'Kari' on Saaremaa
Filming has started this week on the international feature film 'Kari' on the island of Saaremaa, a co-production between Germany, Estonia and Finland. The film is based on a novel by Finnish writer Seita Vuorela that won the 2013 Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize.
This week, filming began on Saaremaa island for the feature film 'Kari', a joint project by German, Estonian and Finnish filmmakers. The cast includes young Estonian actors, and most of the crew consists of Estonian film professionals.
'Kari' is a mysterious adventure story about siblings Kati and Mike, who arrive with their mother for summer holidays at a former coastal camp. Soon they encounter a teenage gang calling itself 'Vrakid' and discover a mysterious abandoned hotel. The deeper the children delve into the secrets of the place, the more the lines between past and present, memory and oblivion, and the world of the living and the dead begin to blur.
The film is an adaptation of Finnish writer Seita Vuorela's novel 'Karikko', which received the Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize in 2013. The screenplay was written by Jutta-Merle Börnsen.
Director Phillip Donnellon, born in Australia, gained international attention with his short film 'Bird in the Wire', selected for the main competition at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. 'Kari' marks his feature-length debut. Donnellon said that initially he was advised against filming on Saaremaa because the location seemed too remote. 'I come from an even more remote island — Australia — so I managed to convince the producers to come and look around. As we were scouting locations, I felt great joy: I immediately understood that Saaremaa holds real treasures. The film's story takes place in a very special coastal camp that must feel both like an adventure nature park and a place closely connected to the sea. Mändjala camping area, Panga cliff and the surrounding beaches were ideal for our film,' said the director.
Producer Evelyn Penttilä of Stellar Film described 'Kari' as a special film for young people and children, combining adventure and dynamics with a story about grief. 'As a producer, I was especially touched that the film does not underestimate its young audience but speaks about complex emotions boldly, visually and engagingly. I am very glad that so many Estonian filmmakers and young actors are contributing to its creation,' she said.
German actress Nora Tschirner plays the mother of Kati and Mike, while the young lead roles are played by Leo Humphries, Esme Hobson and Lovena Börschmann Ziegler. Estonian young actors in the film include Derek Leheste, Torm Laos, Karl Jakob Moora, Alen Aiden Matison, Hugo Gorski, Mia Mahala Mäe and Aimei Zuo.
The production designer is Armin Kolmann, makeup artist is Merlit Veldi, and executive producer is Eva-Kristina Mill. Producers are Daniel Ehrenberg and Kristin Rau from the German company Eyrie Entertainment, Evelyn Penttilä and Johanna Maria Tamm from Estonia's Stellar Film, and Oskari Huttu and Jon Lundsten from Finland's Tack Films. Filming in Estonia will continue until 9 September.
