I WON’T COME BACK

A Film by Ilmar Raag

2014 / Russia, Estonia, Finland, Belarus, Kazakhstan / Russian / Drama 109 min / HD / 2.39 / 5.1 Surround

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LOGLINE A young teacher fleeing an unfounded criminal charge goes on the run with an orphan girl who is searching for her long-lost grandmother. SHORT SYNOPSIS Anya, a young academic raised in an orphanage, is on the cusp of success when she's accused of drug possession. While in limbo hiding from the police, she hits the road with Kristina, another orphan several years Anya’s junior, in search of her possibly mythical grandmother. AWARDS Dioraphte Film & Literature Award – Film by the Sea Festival Main Prize, Feature Film – Let’s CEE Film Festival Belarusian President Special Award – Minsk International Film Festival Listapad PRESS “Straightforward and natural.” – The Hollywood Reporter: Russian Edition “Featuring strong-willed female characters and themes of vulnerability and independence.” – Estonian News “A resonant, poignant drama.” – Sound on Sight

MAIN CAST Anya Polina Pushkaruk Kristina Victoria Lobacheva ADDITIONAL CAST Andrey Lucius Andrey Astrahantsev Dima Morozov Sergej Jacenjuk Natalia Ivanovna Olga Belinskaja Andrey’s Wife Alla Eminceva Andrey’s Daughter Sasha Lesnikova Investigator Jurij Orlov Kristina’s Grandmother Galina Mochalova MAIN CREW Director Ilmar Raag Written by Jaroslava Pulinovich Revisions by Oleg Gaze Producers Natalia Drozd, Sergey Selyanov Co-Producers Riina Sildos Aleksi Bardy Oleg Silvanovich Viktoria Shamlikashvili Executive Producer Natalia Smirnova Cinematographer Tuomo Hutri F.S.C. Production Designer Anastasia Karimulina Costume Designer Natalia Sokolova Casting by Elena Anisimova Editor Tambet Tasuja Composer Panu Aaltio Sound Lev Ezhov TECH SPECS Country of Production Russia, Estonia, Finland, Belarus, Kazakhstan Language Russian Running Time 109 minutes Shooting Format HD Camera Arri Alexa Aspect Ratio 2.39:1 Sound 5.1 Surround Production Company CTB Film Company, Amrion, Helsinki Filmi, Belarusfilm, Kazakhfilm

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT Years ago, as a student, I considered casting a girl from an orphanage in a short film. I visited an orphanage with friends where a social worker told us that we should be levelheaded. The girls could easily become attached-expecting their adoption at the end of the shoot. It was a big responsibility for which I was not ready.

I Won’t Come Back is a film about the desire for intimacy, to find a home. Anya has almost everything she needs to succeed in the normal, established world, except a family. And over the course of the narrative, she chooses the illusion of family over a “normal” life in the big city, even though true love is most important. In the beginning, she is desperately hoping that somebody will love her. She rather angrily asks for love as if the world should rightfully compensate her for years in an orphanage. However, she learns that only when you give do you truly understand what love is.

It is a fable. The style of the film changes as the story advances. The first third of the film establishes a world of survival. We see that Anya has a potential career at a university. Life is not easy for Anya, but she has a fighter’s spirit. When she’s wrongly accused, the tone is that of a crime-themed-survival film. Then the hitchhiking starts, and the film slows down. Suddenly it is a story about two lost girls who desperately need somebody in their lives. The road becomes symbolic as we witness something changing in Anya. At the second act culminates with Anya declaring to the big city that she “won’t come back.”

The last act of the film is dreamlike. Everything goes wrong, and Anya loses Kristina, the closest person in her life. At this point, the film could come to an end. But then we produce a miracle. It can be seen as one, but it is not deus ex machina. This miracle is well planted in the script; it is ironic and yet moving. It is an ending my team has discussed several times. Anya finds a home with her “new grandmother” although she does so through deception. Anya has not likely found the home she was looking for, but it is up to the spectator to imagine Anya’s fate.

The film triumphs thanks to our two actresses. Polina Pushkaruk is a student with the expertise of a professional actress. She’s been trained in the Stanislavsky Method Acting tradition that emphasizes character psychology. Polina’s attention to detail extended to figuring out Anya’s thoughts during long shots of her walking. Victoria Lobacheva who plays Kristina is our second miracle. Her casting is special because Vika actually comes from an orphanage. It was a big decision, but she is such a natural.

WRITER AND DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY

ILMAR RAAG Ilmar is the writer and director of The Class (Amrion 2007), which sold to 91 countries, was shortlisted for the national Oscar nomination, won 25 awards from 70 festivals, and was adapted into a successful, award-winning TV-series. Ilmar’s latest features are Kertu. Love is Blind (Amrio, 2013) and Une Estonienne à Paris (Amrion/Estonia, TS Productions/France, La Parti Production/Belgium) premiered at Locarno Film Festival in August 2012. Ilmar has an MA in screenwriting from Ohio University and works as an expert for EURIMAGES and MEDIA Plus. He has acted as Head of Acquisitions and Chairman of the Board for Estonian National Television, and been a national representative at EURIMAGES. In adition he’s a member of the Audiovisual Council of Cultural Endowment of Estonia, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Estonian Film Foundation. Ilmar is also an acclaimed columnist in newspapers, a lecturer, and a highly requested media consultant.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES

POLINA PUSHKARUK – “Anya” Polina was born in Moscow to a large family of five brothers and sisters. Her childhood memories are mostly of playing soccer. She had a chance to become a professional soccer player when she was invited to play for a club. Polina graduated from GITIS, the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts, studying under Sergey Vasilyevich Zhenovach (himself a former Peter Naumovich Fomenko student). Polina performed in school productions, while dreaming of becoming a neurosurgeon. Her career path has been full of suprirses. She currently works for The Theatre Art Studio in Moscow. Ilmar Raag’s production of I Won’t Come Back is her first serious foray into film.

VIKA LOBACHEVA – “Kristina” Born near Moscow to a troubled family. Vika’s mother abandoned her and her little brother. Two weeks later, she ended up in an orphanage where she lived for four years. She does not like to recall the bad memories and prefers to concentrate on the memories of friends and field trips. Vika was sent to an unhealthy foster home for a few years before ultimately returning to the orphanage. Vika, like her character, is a bit of a hooligan. She likes to rough house with the boys at school. Despite some disciplinary hiccups, she is well liked by her teachers and fellow classmates.

I Won’t Come Back is Vika’s first film. We were hesitant to cast an actual orphan, but Vika was perfect for the role. During shooting, the crew became like a family for Vika and continues to support her past the film’s shoot. Vika dreams of becoming a professional actress.

CREW BIOGRAPHIES

NATALIA DROZD – Producer Natalia Drozd was born in Leningrad, USSR, 1977. In 2000, she graduated from St Petersburg State University. Natalia has 10 years experience as a Production Lawyer for CTB Film Company. She handles all legal aspects of co-productions within CTB, including 2007’sThe Mongol by Sergei Bodrov, shortlisted for the Oscar Nomination. Natalia began producing in 2009. She is in charge of international co-productions within CTB. Baltic Events gave Natalia the award for 2010’s Most Promising Young Producer. Natalia graduated from the 2011 EAVE Workshop. SERGEY SELYANOV - Producer Sergey Selyanov is the founder of CTB Film Company, one of the most successful and dedicated independent production companies in Russia today. Expert magazine described Sergey Selyanov as “the only Russian film producer whose name has become a brand in the sphere of film production.” CTB’s latest projects include Me Too by Alexey Balabanov (Orizzonti Venice 2012), Anton’s right here by Lyubov Arkus (Out of Competition Venice 2012), Naked Harbour by Aku Louhimies (Finnish-Russian coproduction) (Competition MIFF 2012), Home by Oleg Pogodin (Out of Competition Karlovy Vary 2012), Dialogues (2013), Ku! Kin-dza-dza (2013) and Kicking off (2013). TUOMO HUTRI – Cinematographer Tuomo Hutri F.S.C., born in 1973, is an award-winning (Nordic Vision Award at Gothenburg IFF 2008 among others) cinematographer based in Helsinki, Finland. After graduating from film school, he worked extensively in feature films, documentary films and commercials in several countries. Tuomo is a member of the European Film Academy (EFA). TAMBET TASUJA - Editor Tambet Tasuja has a B.A. in Audiovisual Arts and is a graduate of Video Symphony, a film and digital post-production school in Los Angeles. He has been working on numerous features, TV and documentary films, both domestically and internationally, including Fans Journey to Tallinn (2013), Kertu (2013), and The Class (2007). PANU AALTIO - Composer Panu Aaltio is a film composer based in Helsinki and Los Angeles. His first feature film, The Home of Dark Butterflies, earned him a Finnish Film Award nomination. The film was Finland’s candidate for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He has composed for feature films all around the world, including in the United States, Europe, Russia and China. Recently Panu's Tale of a Forest score won the International Film Music Critics Association award for Best Documentary Score of 2012.

LEV EZHOV - Sound Lev Ezhov born in 1962, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) is a sound supervisor. He has worked in the film industry since 1984. His selected filmography includes: Winter Cherry-2 (by Igor Maslennikov), Crime and Punishment (by Julian Jarrold), Mad Dog Call (by Greydon Clark and Ken Stein), The 9th Company (by Fedor Bondarchuk), Svyaz, Fathers and Sons, Two Days, Кококо (by Avdotia Smirnova), Stalingrad (by Fedor Bondarchuk) GALINA PONOMAREVA – Key Makeup Artist Galina has been working in the profession for 56 years. During the first 10 years of her career, she worked in The Komisarzhevskaya Theatre, based in St. Petersburg. Then she worked on TV for 8 years. Following her TV work, Galina entered the film industry. Galina's resume includes lots of commercials, music videos and films. Selected Filmography: The Return and Elena (by Andrey Zvyagintsev), Bedouin (by Igor Voloshin), Tambourine, Drum (by Alexey Mizgirev), Кококо (by Avdotia Smirnova). NATALIA SOKOLOVA – Costume Designer Natalia graduated from the St.Petersburg Art Academy in 1999. She began at Lenfilm Studios as an assistant costume designer. She quickly become the head of her department. Selected Filmography: Stone Head (by Philipp Yankovsky), Soldiers of Fortune (by Maxim Korostyshevsky), White Swan ( by Robert Crombie). ANASTASIA KARIMULINA – Production Designer Anastasia graduated from St. Petersburg State Theatre Arts Academy. She has worked on many theatre productions, commercials, and feature and documentary films. Selected Filmography: Morphia (by Alexey Balabanov), The Moons First Night (by Massimo Guglielmi), The Stocker (by Alexey Balabanov). CTB FILM COMPANY is one of the best-established names in Russia’s film production business. The Movie Research Company named CTB the leading Russian Filmmakers in March 2010. Founded in 1992, CTB has produced more than eighty feature and animated films. Among these films are foreign festival favorites and box-office hits such as Brother, Of Freaks and Men, Brother 2, War and Cargo 200 by Alexei Balabanov; Checkpoint, The Cuckoo and Transit by Alexander Rogozhkin; Tycoon by Pavel Lungin; Boomer by Pyotr Buslov, and The Mongol by Sergei Bodrov, Sr. In 2008, The Mongol was shortlisted for Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.