Loyal Lithuanian pic breaks records

MOSCOW -- An intimate costume drama in regards to a 19th-century peasant rebellion is just about the first Lithuanian film ever to consider a lot more than Pounds a million ($1.3 million) in the local box office. "Tadas Blinda" -- a glossy, colorful romp that informs the real story from the Baltic country's own Robin Hood character, Tadas Blinda, who brought a peasant revolt against a brutal Russian military within the 1860s -- continues to be seen by 9% from the country's 3.5 million people. Starring a in your area famous singer Mantas Jankavicius in the debut acting role, the film may be the first feature for director Donatas Ulvydas as well as first for producer Zilvinas Naujokas. Pic were built with a budget of $1.35 million. Launched late September on 13 screens, the film continues to be seen by nearly 282,000 people -- 15% a lot more than accomplished through the previous record holder, "Titanic," although its box office is 10% less than "Avatar," which like a three dimensional movie offered tickets confined. Naujokas is just one of Lithuania's leading film marketers, whose company Acme Film may be the second greatest distributor within the Baltics, dealing with The new sony, Warner and many independents, including Summit and Lionsgate. Previously two days, he has been around Chicago and La marketing worldwide sales from the film, focusing on Lithuanian emigres in The United States and South Usa. "We are doing premieres for that Lithuanian towns worldwide," Naujokas told Variety. "There has been tests working in london, La and Chicago already, and you will find plans for NY, Washington, Dublin, Cork, Edinburgh, Birmingham along with other European metropolitan areas too." Naujokas can also be in talks with Canadian marketers and Australian Lithuanian towns, and was likely to begin to see the Lithuanian ambassador to Argentina in Buenos Aires on Friday. "These tests are strongly specific at Lithuanian immigrants, but hopefully some areas will purchase the movie, a minimum of for TV and DVD," he added. Sales from the worldwide version from the movie, "Fireheart: The Legend of Tadas Blinda," are now being handled by Planeta Inform while offering were "up for grabsInch following AFM recently, Naujokas stated. A Russian named version has been prepared as a couple of the primary stars, mother and daughter Tatyana Lyutaeva and Agniya Ditkovskite, are very well known in Russia, and Donatas Banionis, who performed Kris Kelvin in Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky's cult 1972 sci-fi film "Solaris," also seems within the film. The film would go to DVD in Lithuania in the other half of The month of january. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com