IFFI: Anna Katchko’s ‘Happiness’ Crew Wraps ‘Starvation’ Units ‘Lynx’

The group behind Berlinale winner “Baqyt” (“Happiness”), which is on the Worldwide Movie Pageant of India, Goa, has a spread of initiatives lined up.

“Starvation,” by “Happiness” director Askar Uzabayev, offers with the topic of impending famine in Kazakhstan. The movie, which has simply wrapped, is produced by Anna Katchko, whose credit embrace “Concord Classes” and “The Black Hen,” alongside Bayan Maksatkyzy-Alagusova.

“The famine in Kazakhstan is such a giant situation – it was precisely 90 years in the past and in 1932-33. All our grandparents have been by this,” Katchko advised Selection. “We realized that this [Russia-Ukraine] battle is definitely doing the identical horrible factor. It’s altering all of the ecosystems of the world. As a result of we all know in the present day that about 12% of all of the grains which might be so needed for folks world wide are coming from this area, and the area is at battle, so these grains won’t come.”

“Starvation,” which can launch on the competition circuit in 2023, and “Happiness” are each produced by 567 Inventive Studio/BM Manufacturing. Beginning its shoot in December 2022 is “Lynx,” which was on the Berlin coproduction market. It’s directed by Sharipa Urazbayeva, whose debut movie “Mariam,” additionally produced by Kachko, was at Locarno, Toronto and Busan and gained the highest prize at Vesoul. The movie will comply with a girl trying to find her son after an extended separation.

There’s one other woman-oriented movie by Uzabayev within the works. Katchko swears by the work of the director who, following a number of comedies, achieved a tonal shift with “Happiness” and “Starvation.” There’s a venture following the tales of ladies in a number of international locations, considered one of which is India, that may also be directed by Uzabayev, with doubtlessly an A-list Bollywood lady actor within the lead.

“I actually see the large potential in him as a result of he’s combining these two sides – a deep philosophical method, but in addition he likes to do movies that contact all people’s coronary heart. So I’m glad to search out in him this connection between two worlds, as a result of for me, it was at all times two totally different worlds, business movies or arthouse movies and I hope he can mix it and make it into greater tales,” Katchko stated.

Katchko may also produce a love story with Bangladeshi auteur Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, whose “Saturday Afternoon” she co-produced. And he or she is in discussions along with his compatriot Rubaiyat Hossain (“Made in Bangladesh”) for one more movie.

The producer had plans for a couple of Russian initiatives however they’ve ceased for the reason that battle started. “It’s a extremely pity that each one the cultural folks, all of the filmmakers, are thrown into this one pot of battle. And all people has to decide. All people has to make a press release as a result of it’s an actual horrible battle between two neighboring international locations. And I personally needed to decide. And I’m not making any movies in Russia in the intervening time however I’m glad to have the ability to make movies in Kazakhstan, in Europe and in South Asia,” Katchko stated.

In the meantime, “Happiness,” which is on the theme of home violence and gained the Panorama Viewers Award at Berlin, had a packed screening at Goa and touched a chord. It’s primarily based on the non-public near-death home violence expertise of Maksatkyzy-Alagusova, a star in Kazakhstan who can also be an actor and a TV anchor.

“Folks have been in tears. It was a full home on Tuesday morning at 11 o’clock,” Katchko stated. “I think about that this matter may be very, very touching for the ladies and for the lads on this nation.”