Baltic Event Co-Production Market
Flood
It's a scorching summer on a secluded island. In the midst of their vacation, the couple hears a rumour about an impending flood. Fear and anxiety, combined with local mystic rituals, make it hard to maintain a harmonious relationship.
Summer on a secluded island. While renovating their newly bought summerhouse, a couple hears a rumour about an upcoming flood. There is no scientific evidence for these predictions, but the locals take the matter very seriously. Backed by local magical rituals forecasting the flood, the behaviour of the villagers changes. The mood becomes sour, and people start to flee their houses, leaving everything behind. Since the villagers do not speak any common language, it is hard to figure out what is truly going on. Seeing all that fear and unease begin to take over the woman’s heart. She tries to convince her partner to leave their new home, but the man does not believe in any threat. Trust between the couple starts to crumble, and maintaining a harmonious relationship becomes increasingly challenging.
Keywords: environment
Director's note:
The main theme of this story is fear—fear of an upcoming disaster that cannot be proven, and fear of commitment. In both cases, it is a fear of change and losing control, rooted in mistrust of oneself and others. Two years ago, I had a discussion with my family about whether to quit our jobs and leave home because of an upcoming war. There were different opinions on what was going to happen, leading to a serious conflict. Although the political atmosphere has since thickened, we forgot about the argument. However, the insecurity from our inability to share a similar perspective remained. I became curious about how one's interpretation of their surroundings can affect the connection and trust between a couple and the reasons for differences in beliefs. With this project, I aim to explore the dynamics of love and trust in the face of a threat.
Producer's note:
The topic of the "Flood" – this existential fear of the unknown, which is an allegory of the current environmental, political, and humanist crisis, is relevant and ambitious. Another important subtopic – the disinformation that reaches postmodern people and the difficulties in choosing what is real and what is fake – will resonate with international audiences. We plan to create a Baltic-Nordic film with international appeal - filming part of the film on a Scandinavian island. By the end of 2024, we will complete the second script draft. The film was included in the "Smart Casual" Media program's "SLATE" application in Autumn. We also intend to involve potential co-producers in the early stages because their involvement during the development would naturally and organically connect creators or actors, thereby enhancing the film's potential in the international market. In 2025, we will apply to the Lithuanian Film Center for production funding and film at the end of summer 2026.
Jorūnė Greičiūtė was born in 1991 in Vilnius, Lithuania. In 2013 finished philosophy studies at Vilnius University (BA). 2009 - 2014 worked as a volunteer and volunteer instructor in “Youth Line” non profit organisation providing free emotional support by phone and internet. Since 2016 Jorūnė has been working in the film industry on various international and Lithuanian projects as a script supervisor. 2020 Jorūnė finished her MA studies in Film Directing at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. 2020 - 2022 was teaching filmmaking to highschoolers in Skalvia Film Academy and Youngblood film school. In 2020, her short film “Viskas gerai” (“It’s Alright”) won the Best Lithuanian Film Award at European Film Forum Scanorama, New Baltic Cinema Programme, also in 2021 the Best Student Film award in National Film Awards “Silver Crane”.
Rūta Petronytė holds a Bachelor's degree in Creative Industries and a Master's degree in Political Science, specialising in "Politics and Media". She has been working in the film industry since 2012, accumulating experience in various national and international projects. Her first produced film, "Sasha Was Here" (dir. Ernestas Jankauskas), co-produced with Gabija Siurbyte, premiered at the 2018 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Rūta is a member of the EWA Network, actively engaged in feminism and women's rights issues. She is also a member of EFA and the Independent Lithuanian Producers Association. Rūta participated in the Locarno Match Me '22, EPI Audiovisual Woman 2023, and ACE Training Days 2023 programs. In 2021, she co-founded the studio "Smart Casual" with Justinas Pocius.
Justinas Pocius graduated Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre – Film Producing in 2013. He has been working in the industry for the last 15 years in different positions. Now Justinas works as a Producer and Line Producer. He has worked on various local and international productions. Participated in – Nisi Masa European Short Pitch, EP2C – Post Production Challenge ’15 EPI - Sustainable Business Strategies: Mastering Transformation and Change, Production Value’23 and - Locarno Match Me '24.
About: Smart Casual, founded by producers Rüta Petronytė and Justinas Pocius, is a film production company that values both meticulousness and spontaneity. They embrace diverse ideas and genres, prioritizing substance and integrity while serving as trusted partners for creators.