'Hands' across Baltic border
Local co-prod'n a 'Good' first step
At least when producers of Estonian-Latvian pic "Good Hands" were deciding where to premiere their film last April, their final choice could hardly have been fairer to both parties. Helmer Peeter Simm's black comedy unspooled on specially built screens set up on the border of the two Baltic nations.
The ground-breaking co-production, which screens in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival, is the culmination of attempts to bring the industries of the region together.
The local players are realizing that their respective territories are not yet able to sustain much of an indigenous industry, and co-productions look like a productive future for the region.
When it comes to international distribution plans as well, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are continuing with a joint repping outfit, Baltic Films, which debuted at Berlin last year. The company also showcased animation -- a local specialty -- at Annecy's toon fest last year.Budget for "Good Hands" was around $500,000, with almost 95% drawn from state sources, an approximate 60-40 split between Estonia and Latvia.
Although it's a small step forward, the future for local co-productions seems to be bright.
