VACANT POSITION IN BELGIUM.
SLAVE.
Belgium, today. Oleg is a young Latvian butcher. He arrives in Brussels in the hope of getting a better salary in a meat factory. His experience turns short after being betrayed by a colleague. Alone in a country where he doesn’t belong, he quickly falls under the yoke of Andrzej, a Polish criminal.
Director
Juris Kursietis (director/writer) started his career at the age of 20, when he worked for the Latvian Television news department as foreign news correspondent.
At that point he was also taking his first steps in longer feature stories or mini-documentaries. In the 15 minute slots that went on prime time TV, he developed and directed from character stories to journalistic investigations.
After 6 years in television he turned to cinema. He went to the UK to do his masters in film directing at the Northern Media School. At the same time in 2007 and 2008 he worked as 1st assistant director on several feature films in Latvia and directed THE BICYCLE STORY (2007).
He graduated his film school with distinction and his graduation mid length film RIT BUS (WILL HAVE IT TOMORROW) received attention in the UK and Latvia.
In 2008 he joined Red Dot Media, where since he has directed numerous TV commercials, directed full length documentaries, worked as a scriptwriter for feature films and shot his debut feature film MODRIS. The film was given Special Mention in San Sebastian FF and the Best Director award in Tbilisi IFF.
His latest film OLEG (2019) had its world premiere at Directors' Fortnight.
At that point he was also taking his first steps in longer feature stories or mini-documentaries. In the 15 minute slots that went on prime time TV, he developed and directed from character stories to journalistic investigations.
After 6 years in television he turned to cinema. He went to the UK to do his masters in film directing at the Northern Media School. At the same time in 2007 and 2008 he worked as 1st assistant director on several feature films in Latvia and directed THE BICYCLE STORY (2007).
He graduated his film school with distinction and his graduation mid length film RIT BUS (WILL HAVE IT TOMORROW) received attention in the UK and Latvia.
In 2008 he joined Red Dot Media, where since he has directed numerous TV commercials, directed full length documentaries, worked as a scriptwriter for feature films and shot his debut feature film MODRIS. The film was given Special Mention in San Sebastian FF and the Best Director award in Tbilisi IFF.
His latest film OLEG (2019) had its world premiere at Directors' Fortnight.
Cast & crew
Cast
Valentin Novopolskij
Dawid Ogrodnik (European Shooting Star 2019)
Anna Prochniak (The Innocent)
Producers
Tasse Film (Dogs Don’t Wear Pants)
Iota Productions (Our Struggles, Keeper)
In Script (Miracle)
Arizona Productions (The Gentle Indifference of the World, Aga, My Happy Family)
Dop
Bogumil Godfrejow
Editor
Matyas Veress
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Laura Dislere
SOUND
Vytis Puronas
Festivals and awards
- CANNES DIRECTORS FORTNIGHT
- KARLOVY VARY IFF
- INDIE BO
- MOTOVUN IFF
- HELSINKI IFF
- BUSAN IFF
- KAOHSIUNG IFF
- HAIFA IFF
- CHICAGO IFF
- SAO PAULO IFF
- TOFIFEST IFF
- LEED IFF
- CORK IFF
- SEVILLE EUROPEAN FF
- TALLINN BLACK NIGHTS
- IFFI GOA
- CINERGIA FF
- PALM SPRINGS IFF
- TRIESTE FF
- BARCELONA D'A
- SHANGHAI IFF
- EAST BY SOUTHEAST
“Thanks to welcome flecks of
comic relief, Oleg is consistently
watchable as well as illuminating
about an emerging social problem."
comic relief, Oleg is consistently
watchable as well as illuminating
about an emerging social problem."
“A sharp, scorching, surprisingly
raucous social thriller (...), “Oleg”
would be politically essential
even if it weren’t so cinematically
exciting.”
raucous social thriller (...), “Oleg”
would be politically essential
even if it weren’t so cinematically
exciting.”
“A timely and impressive second feature. The screenplay is
a particular strong point.”
a particular strong point.”
