Among the world premieres at the 60th KVIFF was Morten, a film that takes viewers into the mind of an introverted teenager from Estonia. Presented in the Special Screenings section, this thought-provoking film was accompanied to Karlovy Vary by a large delegation.
“Youth is the most vibrant, most sensuous period of one’s life, and it captures something one will never feel quite so strongly again. When I was reading the book Morten, Emilie, and the Lost Worlds, I understood all the emotions it conveyed and wanted to bring them to the screen,” said director Ivan Pavljutskov, explaining why he decided to venture into the coming of age genre. The book, and later the screenplay, were written by Reeli Reinaus, who was inspired by the marshland near where she grew up.
The young actors who play Morten and Emilie, Tõru Kannimäe and Emili Rohumaa, also spoke about their roles. Kannimäe assured the audience that, despite being only fifteen, filming had not been difficult for him because he understood his character. Rohumaa, meanwhile, embraced the distinctive role of the mysterious girl from the marshes as a challenge. “I had to play someone who isn’t used to interacting with people, who is lost in their own thoughts and communicates more with nature. We don’t usually do that in life – at least, I don’t. That’s why it was so lovely,” the actress said.
The director revealed that capturing cranes taking flight on camera had been a real challenge for the crew. “We had to finish the film, but we still didn’t have this shot. They are clever and sensitive birds. You can film them only with a drone, and you have to be very quick. We felt a bit guilty about trying to get so close to them, but we’re proud that we managed it and that none of it is animated,” said the filmmaker.
“For me, as a producer, the real challenge was waiting for them. We’d had a long winter and the birds still hadn’t returned to Estonia. Five or six of our video teams were searching for them at different locations,” added Anneli Ahven.
