Already in the second decade of April the company Fresh Production launches the project “Ursus”, one of the largest Ukrainian film projects and one of the most ambitious. Part of the film will be shot in the Carpathians.

Without a doubt, the definition of “ambitious” is a fairly common prefix in the description of the modern Ukrainian cinema, but, nevertheless, this does not refute its feasibility – now any film, despite the financial, business and political situation in the country and the world as a whole, can be considered an ambitious. “Ursus” has all chances to take the first place in the list of such projects. About his plan, creating and running, you can write a book and then it is ambitious – to film, justified in relying on the world’s attention. Because the project has passed, almost the whole world, looking for financing in Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Holland, Norway and even in Saudi Arabia and the United States. During this time, “Ursus” grew and matured…
The script starts with the civil war in Georgia in 1991 year. Then the main character-, 35-year-old Georgian nick, a young Director, had, at some time, to change the camera on automatic, gets wounded in the hospital. Then he came to his native Tbilisi film Studio, catches fire that burns the unfinished film “the birthplace of Stalin.”
Along with this, he meets a man who was shot in his film, Thomas Gogol, Georgian, Ukrainian, whose race over 150 years ago he left his native land to a foreign country. He works as a trainer big brown bear with the scientific name “Ursus ARKTOS Caucasicus”. Suddenly Thomas received an invitation from Berlin zoo to come to Germany on tour with his bear.

But the bear was tragically killed. The situation is solved fabulous phantasmagoric way that actually makes the film is unique: nick offers personally to wear a suit of a bear, and so to go to Berlin for the viewer really becoming a bear. So, friends are coming from Georgia through Europe in a German zoo, turning dramatic history in the road movie, changing the country, city and people, to finally be at the Berlin film festival… Berlinale not randomly appears in the script. It’s part of the great cinematic games, initiated by writer Zaza Buadze from the very beginning. Kinoallnude is an additional line, which serves as a kind of crossword for moviegoers, who in the course of the film have fun, guess not too deeply hidden screenwriter riddles. For example, in the beginning we find English reporter with the surname Frears, like modern English directed by Steven Mirza, then the German representative of the red cross name Murnau, as the Director-classic Friedrich Murnau.

Also, here is the line of the bear, beginning with the constellation URSA major, ongoing prize “Golden bear at the Berlin film festival and smoothly into the bear, which becomes the main character, going into the city with a bear on the arms, and dream since childhood to make a film and get the prize at the Berlinale. Next, the script will appear Jean-Pierre Jeannot as an embodiment of the French Director Jean-Jacques Annaud, the famous film Director of “Bear”…

Zaza invented this story is still in the 2000s, on a wave of nostalgia in conversations with his friend, the future Director of the project Otar Shamatava, Georgian producer and Director, best known for the film “Turandot” 1990-th years. In fact, the project “Ursus” has been living for 4-th year, gradually gaining vital components: financing, casting and implementation. 20% of funds provided by the State Agency on cinema of Ukraine, part – Bulgarian company Geopoly Film, German Aktis Film and Georgian O-Studio. Now producers are looking for the last part, 20%.

But the casting is already made.

On the role of Nicky was immediately invited the 32-year-old Georgian actor Niko Tavadze. But on the role of Thomas miraculously came Ukrainian actor Bogdan Benyuk. Magical, because, first, in reading the scenario about Thomas and his actions, simply did see Beniuk. And secondly, that the creators want to invite him, the actor learned not from writer, Director and producers, and the air of one of the TV programs from the Chairman of the state Committee of cinematography of Catherine Kopylova.

The third main role, the girl from the organization to protect animal rights that nick and Thomas met during his travels, had planned the Australian Hollywood recognition cate Blanchett. And as conveyed her agent, she’s reading from a script, spoke of him approvingly.

However, stars, or rather the production of graphics actress, did not agree. So the producers of the project chose another candidate in the main female role, and received consent to the shooting British actress Sienna Guillory, which like Kate has a successful career in Hollywood, as evidenced by its participation in the film “Helen of Troy” in the role Eleni Beautiful, 100 million “Eragon” and in three series franchise “resident evil”. Actually, the person Guillory will help the producers to enter the American market, and participation in the film of the German company and Berlinskoj themes on the German market and, preferably, and at the Berlin film festival.

For world attention of the movie “Ursus” has everything you need – star actors, the original story, the landscape of the Ukrainian Carpathians, the European roads and Berlin. Last, and perhaps the main factor for curiosity can serve as a form character creation of a bear – it will be created using sophisticated computer technology, which takes nearly 30 percent of the 3.5 million (us$) budget and more than half a year of work.

This fact makes the project unique in Ukraine is the best it has never been done, and for the world – a pleasant surprise: the market of high technologies opens new state (although Ukraine for many years, does special effects for many films and Hollywood including; not counting “of Filmotechnika”, Kiev company that provides their taps for most of big-budget Hollywood action).
Prepodavateley period of the project will start in April. In July will begin shooting in Ukraine and Georgia, and in October in Europe. The distribution is planned for 2015.

Yaroslav Pidgora-Gvyazdovskiy, especially for the Internet newspaper Zbru?

http://zbruc.eu/node/4709

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