Unspooling within the 73rd Berlinale (running 16 – 26 February), the European Film Market is shaping up to be a dynamic one for French international sales agent Totem Films. The team led by Bérénice Vincent and Laure Parleani will notably be pinning its hopes on Malika Musaeva’s French-Russian co-production The Cage Is Looking For A Bird [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Malika Musaeva
scheda film], which is set to world premiere in the Encounters competition. This first film by the filmmaker of Chechen origin living in Germany thrusts viewers into a small Chechen village where Yaha spends her days with Madina, with whom she’s very close. Both girls dream of leaving their homes after graduation and escaping to the real world, far from their village. Yaha’s older sister Heda also dreams of breaking free, but it will come at a high cost - if she decides to try for a divorce her only son will be taken away from her, such is the tradition in her culture. Will Yaha, Madina and Heda manage to break free, and, if so, at what cost?

The EFM will also see Totem Films pressing on with sales on two movies recently awarded trophies in the Sundance Film Festival: French-Moroccan production Animalia [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Sofia Alaoui
scheda film] by Sofia Alaoui and Slow [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Marija Kavtaradze
scheda film] by Lithuania’s Marija Kavtaradze.

Four titles stand out on the post-production side: firstly, Crossing [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Levan Akin
scheda film], the 4th feature film by Swedish director Levan Akin (well-received via his latest opus And Then We Danced [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Levan Akin
intervista: Levan Gelbakhiani
scheda film] in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight 2019), which combines the production prowess of Sweden (French Quarter Film alongside RMV Film and SVT), Denmark (Adomeit), France (Easy Riders Films), Turkey (Bir Film) and Georgia (1991 Productions). Still under wraps, the story is said to be set in Istanbul and, according to the filmmaker, will revolve around "finding your family; not your blood relatives but those who accept you and love you unconditionally, without prejudice, for who you are."

Totem will also be pre-selling another Swedish film in post-production: The Hypnosis [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Asta Kamma August
intervista: Ernst De Geer
scheda film], which is the debut feature by Ernst De Geer who wrote the screenplay himself alongside Mads Stegger. Starring Herbert Nordrum and Asta Kamma August, the film homes in on André and Vera, a young pair of entrepreneurs who get the opportunity to present their women’s health app during a prestigious competition. Before making their way there, Vera tries hypnotherapy to help her stop smoking. From this moment onwards, her attitude changes and André starts behaving in an unexpected manner… The film is produced by Sweden’s Garagefilm International alongside fellow Swedish firm Film I Väst, Norway’s Mer Film and France’s Totem Atelier.

A first clip will be available for Camille Japy’s French feature film in post-production Over The Cracks [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film], which unites Ariane Ascaride, Bérénice Bejo and Thomas Scimeca in its cast. Produced by Mandarin & Compagnie, the film follows Odile as she’s preparing to celebrate her birthday. Just as her kids and grandkids are on their way to visit her, her husband Jean unexpectedly passes away. Unable to cope with reality, she decides to hide him under the bed…

Totem’s last title in post-production, Dead Girls Dancing [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Katarina Stark
scheda film] by German director Anna Roller (a production steered by kalekone film in league with Totem Atelier), sees a road trip through Italy in the company of three recent high school graduates take an unexpected turn.

Last but not least, among the finished films on the agenda, is Day of the Tiger [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Andrei Tănase
scheda film] by Romania’s Andrei Tănase, a work recently screened in Rotterdam.