A Winner is Seen at the Start

France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Lithuania / 90 min / post-production

PROJECT INFO

Production: Film de Force Majeure (France), Accidental Films (Kazakhstan), M-Films (Lithuania), Volya Films (Netherlands)

Release: 2025

TECHNICAL SHEET

Feature

Duration: 90 min

Sound: 5.1

Color

SYNOPSIS

Swimming in open water has nothing to do with technique, and everything to do with your inner potential. That’s what MILA (17) learns when she joins an unconventional swimming team led by mysterious and charismatic VLAD (40). His experimental method could be the best way for Mila to realize herself and not to follow in her unsteady mother’s footsteps. But how far will she be ready to go, once she starts to discover the dark side of it?

FUNDS:

CNC production fund
Region Sud co-production development fund
Creative Europe MEDIA
Kazakh Cinema Fund
Netherlands Film Fund
Hubert Bals Fund
Lithuanian Film Centre
Göteborg Stad Fund

LABS/RESIDENCIES:

BoostNL
TIFF Filmmakers Lab (Canada Goose fellowship)
Pop-up film residency (Hosted by Marija Razgute)
ACE Producers Lab

FILM MARKETS:

When East Meets West (3 awards)
Cinemart
Holland Film Meeting
Red Sea Souk - Work in Progress
Trieste First Cut Lab
Gotham Week 2024