When the trees fall
X edition
The Krzysztof Kieślowski ScripTeast Award 2016
When the trees fall
In a small Eastern town near Kharkiv nowadays 5-years old naughty curious Vitka spent Summer in her grandmother’s house. Her older cousin 16-years old Larysa look after Vitka with her boyfriend young criminal “The Scar”. Vitka loves Larysa unconditionally, and takes them three with The Scar as for the family.
Larisa’s relationship with her grandmother and mother went south, so she decides to run away from home with The Scar. But before taking Larysa somewhere away, the Scar and his friends take on one job, during which the guys accidentally kill a man and his little son. So they have to flee to Poland hiding from the bandits for whom they has been working.
Larysa is forced to move to her mother in a neighboring town. So Vitka stays alone with her grandmother in that town, where she gets to know the world of humans, nature, and death. The Scar comes back unexpectedly to say goodbye to his beloved Larysa. Not being able to find her in her grandmother’s village, he gives his old grandfather’s ring to Vitka and promises to come back for both of them. On the way to Poland, the guys are caught by the bandits. They kill The Scar’s friends, and he is the only one to escape.
Larysa doesn’t know what has happened to The Scar, but she realizes he will not come back for her. Refusing to betray her dream, she decides to betray The Scar, and marries another man. Vitka tries to stop the wedding, but she lost The Scar’s wedding ring and Larysa doesn’t believe her. On the wedding Vitka saddles up the white horse and runs away. She is afraid, and screams, as the horse rises to the sky while everyone looks upon her flight. Vitka rides the white horse over the sunlit clouds.
Ukraine
Marysia Nikitiuk
Studied at Kiev Karpenko-Karyi University of Theatre, Movie & TV- faculty of theatre critic and at Kiev Taras Shevchenko National University – faculty of International journalism.
She is a founder and for some time was an editor in chief and main author of Ukrainian magazine about theatre in Internet TEATRE.
Her numerous shorts have been screened in countries across the world i.e. USA, India, Spain, France, Greece, Uzbekistan, Germany, Armenia etc. and awarded with numerous awards.
Curator and cofounder of contemporary drama festival in Kiev WEEK OF NEW DRAMA (2011-2013)
WHEN THE TREES ARE FALLING was awarded the Best Project of the OIFF 2014 Pitching contest for feature film project.
Udayan Prasad
“ScripTeast is the programme all the advisors wish they could have attended at the start of their careers. It would have saved all that stumbling around in the dark looking for the key that stimulates the imagination so much more effectively.”
BAFTA nominated, director of “My Son the Fanatic”, “The Yellow Hankerchief” and ”Opa!”, 5th edition ScripTeast creative advisor, UK
Tom Abrams
“ScripTeast’s top-notch team of professional advisors, each year’s talented group of participants, and venues in Poland, Germany and France continue to make it the very best development workshop in the world today.”
ScripTeast Head of Studies, Associate Professor – Screenwriting and Production at School of Cinematic Arts, USC, screenwriter and director, author of the script for the Oscar-nominated film “Shoeshine”, USA
Scott Alexander
“ScripTeast is a fascinating mix of cultures, political ideas, and voices. I learned a lot, and I think the participants learned a lot more. If only they served vodka!”
Golden Globe awarded author of “The People vs. Larry Flynt” and “Ed Wood” with two Oscars, 5th edition ScripTeast creative advisor, USA