Ausma
Latvia, Poland, Estonia
Synopsis
Unfortunately, DAWN is not only about the past, as the desire of totalitarian regimes to turn people into dull cogs-in-a-machine seems eternal – limited neither by time nor space.
Based on a Soviet propaganda story (most likely none too accurate) about young pioneer (the Soviet equivalent to the boy scouts) Morozov, who denounced his father to Stalin’s secret police and was in turn killed by his own family. His life exemplified the moral duty of all fine Soviet citizens: that the good of the State is of utmost importance.
78 years later we call him Little Janis, and he’s a pioneer who lives on the Soviet collective farm “Dawn”. His father is an enemy of the farm (and the Soviet system), and wants to burn down its headquarters. Little Janis betrays his father and the father takes revenge on his son. Who, in this old Soviet fairy tale, is good, and who is evil?
Director's Statement
I could tell you that in creating this film I was playing around with the old Soviet fairytale, but that’s not really the case – I did very little playing around with the story. It was more playing around with the energy…
What’s more, I don’t want to say that it’s all so complicated. It isn’t. I’d just rather not use words to describe what I do, using imagery and sound, that is, in making a film. And DAWN is a film. At least I hope so.
Director's Biography
Her films were screened in the official programme of festivals such as Cannes IFF, Venice IFF, Berlin IFF, Locarno IFF, Rome IFF, IDFA, Visions du Reel and have received various awards.
Filmography:
2016 - WATERFALL, doc
2015 - HI, RASMA, doc
2014 - SHORT FILM ABOUT LIFE, doc
2014 - HOTEL AND A BALL, doc
2013 - THE CHIMNEY, doc
2013 - FORTY TWO, doc
2012 - PIZZAS
2012 - SNOW CRAZY, doc
2011 - 33 ANIMALS OF SANTA CLAUSE, doc
2010 - ON RUBIKS' ROAD, doc
2009 - SILENCE, short
2008 - THREE MEN AND FISH POND, doc
2008 - FIRE, short
2006 - THE HOSTAGE
2006 - THEODORE, doc
2006 - WATER, short
2004 - DREAM LAND, doc
2004 - THE BUS, doc
2004 - IT'LL BE FINE, doc
2003 - THE PYTHON
2002 - MARTINS, doc
2001 - PAPA GENA, doc
2000 - WAKE UP, doc
1998 - THE SHOE
1997 - THE OAK, doc
1995 - ABANS, doc
1995 - THE MAIL, doc
1994 - THE FERRY, doc
1993 - THE CHURCH, doc
1992 - ANNA'S CHRISTMAS, short
1991 - THE PILGRIMAGE, doc
1991 - THE LINEN, doc
1991 - THE DOME, doc
1990 - THE CHOICE, doc
1988 - AND, doc
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Laila Pakalnina
Written by: Laila Pakalnina
Produced by: Kaspar Kallas, Małgorzata Staron, Laila Pakalnina
Cinematography: Wojciech Staron
Editing: Kaspar Kallas
Production Design: Jurgis Krasons
Costume Design: Natalia Czeczott
Make-Up & Hair: Dzintra Bijubena
Original Score: Vestards Šimkus
Sound Design: Anrijs Krenbergs
Cast: Vilis Daudziòð (Father), Antons Georgs Grauds (Janis), Wiktor Zborowski (Karlis Janovics)
Nominations and Awards
- Feature Film Selection 2016