07/12/2009

The Temptation of St. Tony [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], the second feature film by Veiko Õunpuu, is the first Estonian feature film to be selected for the World Cinema Narrative Competition lineup at Robert Redford’s upcoming Sundance International Film Festival in Utah, USA (January 21-31, 2010).

The film was one of 14 international feature films to make it into the competition slot out of a record 1,022 submissions. Following his promising feature debut Autumn Ball [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Venice Horizons Award in 2007), Õunpuu has been on many people’s ‘radar’. He next received the MEDIA Programme's European Talent Award at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival for the project for The Temptation. In the film, Estonian star actor Taavi Eelmaa plays a mid-level manager who develops an aversion to being "good". He finds himself confronting the mysteries of middle age and morality as he loses his grasp on his once-quiet life. Other cast members include France’s Denis Lavant and Estonia’s Rain Tolk.

The film was produced by Katrin Kissa, Õunpuu’s producer and partner in Homeless Bob Production, along with Sweden’s Atmo and Finland’s Bronson Club. At last week’s Baltic Event film market in Tallinn, where The Temptation screened for selected participants, Kissa told Cineuropa that a dozen cast members of The Temptation would go to Sundance to promote the film. “It is a film for an international audience, and Sundance is perfect for it,” she said. No sales agent has yet been appointed.

Õunpuu is currently working on a play by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and a script for a third feature project.