FILM.UA Group celebrates 'Mavka. The Forest Song' teaser premiere with DJ Ravin, temporary tattoos, flower wreaths and a look into Mavka's forest world.
Animagrad studio (FILM.UA Group) has premiered the first teaser for animated feature Mavka. The Forest Song at Odessa International Film Festival Summer Film Market. The premiere took place at the presentation of feature projects line-up from FILM.UA Group and Ukrainian Film Distribution.
The video is available on the Animagrad studio and Mavka. The Forest Song sites, as well as on the official YouTube channel of FILM.UA Group. Though there are still two years left till for production, the first teaser to Mavka. The Forest Song will appear on the screens of Ukrainian cinemas in late July.
“Our teaser is more about ambiance than plot. Its objective is to immerse the audience in the unusual forest world of Mavka, to let the viewers meet the protagonist, to show her magic connection with nature and demonstrate Mavka’s Willow. We’ll also denote several unique features of the project: Mavka’s tattoos in the form of pagan runes, which illuminate when she hears Lukash’s music; a unique outfit created by nature itself (but in reality carefully thought out by Olga Navrotska) and, of course, music from DakhaBrakha based on a Ukrainian folk song, a vesnyanka (a song calling the spring in). This soundtrack is among the main components of our teaser; it helped us a lot with demonstrating the authenticity and spirituality of our future project. And so that the audience knows the film will have a light side to it -- we’ve inserted a little gag with Swampy,” said Iryna Kostyuk, project producer.
In honor of the premiere, the open terrace of M1 Club Hotel in Odessa hosted a private party gathering Ukrainian media figures, including Philip Illienko, Head of Ukrainian State film Agency, president of Odessa IFF Victoria Tigipko and other friends and partners of FILM.UA Group.
“We have already done a European presentation of the teaser in Annecy and got a lot of positive feedback from the international audience. But showing it here, at home, is completely different -- this means different expectations from us as the team and different engagement of the audience with the protagonist’s image, her world, and the film’s music. And goosebumps during the screening are not just a result of Animagrad’s work. This is the voice of blood -- we all needed a project like Mavka,” said Anna Eliseeva, project creative producer.
Surprises prepared by the team helped bring the guests to Mavka’s Universe: everyone could experience national authenticity and try Mavka's style with temporary tattoos replicating runes from the film and handmaid wreaths made of fresh flowers.
Olga Navrotska, costume designer for Mavka. The Forest Song, presented the first official capsule collection titled MAVKA to the Ukrainian audience. Feminine silhouettes of silk dresses and blouses are decorated with flowers and ornaments, which were used in Mavka’s outfit in the teaser and will appear in the film itself. “Our Mavka is an ancient and mystical creature; she can be changeable like nature itself. She is day and night, flower fields and green forest, fire, and water. In my dresses, I tried to reflect the feeling of Mavka’s world and image through the combination of fairy tale ornaments and floral elements. This is how six dresses, six moods, and states appeared,” said Olga Navrotska, explaining the concept of her new collection.
Olga created the first outfits from this collection for film producers Iryna Kostyuk and Anna Eliseeva. These memorable looks have repeatedly helped the project team to successfully present the feature film at international pitches and film markets, and it is those outfits that the producers and Sasha Ruban, film director, wore to present the teaser.
At the party the stage was taken by DJ Ravin, a favorite with French audience and a resident of Buddha Bar, an iconic Paris club. In the beginning of his set, he played a remix of the main music theme in Mavka, a melody of Lukash’s recorder. “This track has touched me due to its emotionality and ethnical motives, with all these flutes and unusual rendition. I am really excited, this was a challenge for me, but I accepted it with pleasure,” said DJ Ravin.
“Mavka’s teaser official premiere became not just a long-awaited event for the wide audience but also a very important step in creative self-realization for Animagrad studio team, which now actively works on other projects, including its first animation feature The Stolen Princess,” added Egor Olesov, Animagrad CEO. “Animation quality, memorable visuals, strong creative spirit and -- the main thing -- the best Ukrainian artists and animators believing in what they do -- all this allows us to hope that Ukrainian animation will soon be on par with the top global projects!”
The international version of the teaser is available on FILM.UA Group YouTube Channel. The Ukrainian version is available for viewing on the Facebook page of Mavka. The Forest Song; a short version has been prepared for the Mavka’s Instagram account.
Mavka. The Forest Song is a full-length animated feature produced by Ukraine-based Animagrad (FILM.UA Group). It is currently at the concept stages. The film is inspired by a play of the same name by Lesya Ukrainka, as well as by various Ukrainian legends and cultural traditions.
In September 2016, Mavka. The Forest Song won the ninth contest held by the Ukrainian State Film Agency and was awarded state financing in the amount of 30% of the film’s total budget. Mavka. The Forest Song is scheduled for release in Ukraine in 2019. 
Source: FILM.UA Group
