Press book

Vabzdžių dresuotojas / The Bug Trainer

ERA FILM (Lithuania)

Co-produced by
Se-ma-for Film Production (Poland)
NHK (Japan), AVRO (The Netherlands), YLE Co-productions (Finland)

In association with
DR TV (Denmark), SVT (Sweden), ETV (Estonia), NRK (Norway), TSR (Switzerland) , LRT (Lithuania)

Under the patronage of National UNESCO Commision of Lithuania

CREDITS

CAST

LOGLINE

The life story of of the puppeteer driven by the love story of puppets


SYNOPSIS

DIRECTOR'S/PRODUCER's NOTE

The idea of making a documentary film about the forgotten geniuos Ladislas Starewitch have obsessed me for long time ...... for 9 years . The question of why Ladislas Starewitch is so little known in the world lead me into the biggest adventure of my life - making the documentary "The Bug Trainer".

Why I was so fascinated by this person?
Because:
- he is from my small country - Lithuania,
- he on his own have invented the puppet animation,
- he is the man who is forgotten, who has to be brought back to the film world and the audience.

It was clear from the very beginning that it would be disrespect to make a conventional, documentary on such an unconventional master. The only way to make this film was to make it in a the Starewitch style - artisitc and innovative - as our respect to Ladislas Starewitch.

"The Bug Trainer" turned to be a unique film with 4 directors working on the film, involving puppet animation and fiction elements, rich with achives footage and visual effects enriched with original sound music and sound design. All this came together into one synthesis - film "The Bug Trainer" a tribute to the master Lasdislas Starewitch.

Sincerely,

Rasa Miskinyte
Producer/director

DIRECTORS & PRODUCER

RASA MISKINYTE/IDEA & RESEARCH/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

Education Graduated from Theater and Cinema Department at Lithuanian Music Academy, 2001, gained Master Degree in Audiovisual Arts, Vilnius, Lithuania Graduated from The European Film College, 2000 - 2001, Ebeltoft, Denmark Graduated from Kaunas Politechnic Institute as an Engineer, speciality Civil Building Engineer in 1986, Kaunas, Lithuania.

 

• Delegate producer/Idea & Research/Director creative documentary THE BUG TRAINER 52' HD. Script Linas Augutis and Donatas Ulvydas, directors: Donatas Ulvydas, Linas Augutis and Marek Skrobecki. In Co-production with Se-ma-for, Poland; In co-production with broadcasters NHK (Japan), AVRO (The Netherlands), YLE (Finland); in association with DR (Denmark); SVT (Sweden); NRK (Norway), TSR (Switzerland), ETV (Estonia), LRT (Lithuania).

• Line Producer doc. L'AFFAIRE FARWELL 2x52', DigiBeta. Author Jean-Francois Delassus, Roche Productions, France.

• Delegate producer documentary SPANISH FOR ADULTS 52', DVcam. Author Tomas Tamosaitis. Co-production with Evohe Films, Spain and Televisio de Catalunya, in association with ZDF/Arte and YLE;

• Associated producer documentary THE PUTIN SYSTEM 95', Digi Beta, Author Jean-Michel Carre in association with Jill Emery. Company Les Films Grain De Sable, France2, NDR, LRT.

• Co-producer of creative documentary ANIMAZONE, 52', super 16mm. Director Hardi Volmer, producer Arko Okk, Acuba Film Production, Estonia;

• Co-producer of creative documentary THE DIFFERENT, 26', Beta Cam SP, 2005. Director Maksim Surkov, producer Svitlana Zinovyeva, Inspiration Films, Ukraine in co-production with LRT

DONATAS ULVYDAS/ DIRECTOR, SCRIPTWRITER

LINAS AUGUTIS/ SCRIPTWRITER, DIRECTOR

7/12/1962

Education: 1981 - 1983 Kaunas Polytechnic Institute 1992 - 1996 Vilnius Art Academy Stage design and Photo Video Art Department

• Scriptwriter and director creative documentary THE BUG TRAINER, 53', HD, 2008. ERA FILM (Lithuania), co-produced by Se-ma-for Film Production (Poland), NHK (Japan), AVRO (The Netherlands), YLE Co-productions (Finland).
• Director of music video film A TRIP TO THE GREAT LITTLE COUNTRY, 5'10", HD, 2007, ERA FILM
• Director of creative documentary THE CONSTITUTION OF LITHUANIA. 1922, 26', Beta cam SP, 2002, LRT, Lithuania.
• Scriptwriter and director for documentary DOMEIKA'S SYNDROME 43' Dvcam, 2002, LRT, Lithuania.
• Author of videoart PALIMSESTAS 10', 1996. Screenings: Vilnius, Oberhausen Festival.
• Author of videoart RINGING HEADS 4', 1994. Screenings: Helsinki, Stockholm, Bauhaus, Dessau, Copenhagen, Berlin, Hanover.

MAREK SKROBECKI/DIRECTOR FOR ANIMATION

Marek Skrobecki - film director, his specialty is classic puppet animation. He has graduated from Fine Art Academy and Polish National Film School in Lodz. He gained scholarship from British Council and received training in Jim Henson's Creature Shop and Aardman Animation.

 

Filmography & Awards:

GEDIMINAS GIRVAINIS/ACTOR

Selected Filmography

• Drama VISA TEISYBĖ APIE KOLUMBĄ (ALL TRUTH ABOUT COLUMBUS), 90 min., director Vytautas Žalakevičius, 1970

• Drama AKMUO ANT AKMENS (STONE ON THE ROCKS), 82 min., director Raimondas Vabalas, 1971

• Historical Drama HERKUS MANTAS, 148 min., director Marijonas Giedrys, 1972

• Film for children NAKTIBALDA (THE NIGHT BIRD), 78 min., director Arūnas Žebriūnas, 1973

• Musical VELNIO NUOTAKA (THE DEVIL'S BRIDE), 77 min., director Arūnas Žebriūnas, 1974
• Family Film SMOKAS IR MAŽYLIS (SMOK AND THE LITTLE ONE), total 240 min., director Raimondas Vabalas, 1975
• TV series for children KALIO SEKLIO NUOTYKIAI (ADVENTURES OF KALE DETECTIVE), in total 135 min., director Arūnas Žebriūnas, 1976
• Drama SODYBŲ TUŠTĖJIMO METAS (THE TIME EMPTYING THE FARMSTEADS), 154 min., Almantas Grikevičius, 1976

• Drama RIESUTU DUONA (THE NUTS BREAD), 138 min., director Arūnas Žebriūnas, 1977

• Drama MĖNULIO LIETUVA (LUNAR LITHUANIA), 159 min., director Gytis Lukšas, 1997

EXPERTS

The QUAY Brothers, UK
	American identical twin brothers better known as the Brothers Quay or Quay Brothers. They are influential stop-motion animation. The Quays' works show a wide range of often esoteric influences, starting with the Polish animators Walerian Borowczyk continuing with the writers Franz Kafka, Bruno Schulz and Michel de Ghelderode, puppeteers Wladislaw Starewicz (Ladislas Starewitch).
Gunnar STRØM, Norway
	Professor in film and television, Volda University College, Norway. Guest lecturer/visiting academic Griffith University, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane. Publications on animation "‘Data-animasjon' in Store Norske Leksikons årbok 2002. 2002 ‘. ‘The Animated Documentary - A Performing Tradition', art. Norsk Medietidsskrift no.2, 2001, etc.
Marcin GIŻYCKI, Poland
	Marcin Gizycki is a Polish art historian, art critic and former Editor-In-Chief for Animafilm magazine. He has taught at Rhode Island School of Design since 1988. Author of the books "Postmodernizm - kultura wyczerpania?', 'Nie tylko Disney. Rzecz o filmie animowanym.' 'Koniec i co dalej?', 'Wenders do domu. Europejskie filmy o Ameryce i ich recepcja w Stanach Zjednoczonych'.
Marina KARASEVA, Russia
	Film historian, written her diploma work at VGIK, Moscow on Wladislaw Starewicz (Ladislas Starewitch) in year 1990. Till 2004 was an employee of Museum of Cinema in Moscow. Author of numerous articles to cinema related magazines in Russia, co-organizer of Russian animation festival in Tarus.
Nikolay IZVOLOV, Russia
	Nikolay Izvolov Critics on cinema, deputy director of a Museum of cinema, Moscow. Specialized in pre-revolution Russian cinema including early animation from 1910-20. Publication: "Phenomenon of the cinema: History and theory Moscow, 2001", is the developer of HYPERKINO.
Skirmantas VALIULIS, Lithuania
	Critic on photography, television, and cinema. Popular lecture at Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Music Academy, TV and Cinema department, Vilnius. Author of numerous publications. Promoter of Ladislas Starewitch art.

TEAM

Jurgita GERDVILAITĖ/Production Designer/Art Director

Education

Experience

Ramūnas GREIČIUS/D.O.P.

Education

TECHNICAL DATA

Running Time: 52min. 47 sec.
Screen Ratio: 16 : 9
Format: HDcam Sony
Blow up to 35mm. Ratio: 1:1.85
Color: Color
Sound: Dolby SRD
Production Year: 2008
Budget: 591.561 EUR
First Releasing Date: May 15th 2008


SUPPORTED BY

With support of:
Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania

Lithuanian Culture and Sports Support Foundation

EU Media Program

Polish Cinema Institute


in co-production with:
NHK (Japan)
AVRO (The Netherlands)
YLE Co-productions (Finland)

in association with:
DR TV (Denmark)
SVT (Sweden)
NRK (Norway),
TSR (Switzerland)
ETV (Estonia)
LRT (Lithuania)

under the patronage of UNESCO Lithuania.

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