Production
A WINNER IS SEEN AT THE START
Director: Zhannat Alshanova
100mn I France, Kazakhstan, NETHERLANDS, LITHUANIA, SWEDEN
In open water swimming, technique is of little importance – it’s all about mental strength. That’s what 17-year-old Mila learns when she joins an unconventional swimming team led by the mysterious Vlad. It could be a chance for Mila to free herself from her unstable mother and finally make her own choices. But how far will she be prepared to go when she discovers the darker side of competition?
About
Production: Films de Force Majeure, Accidental Films, Volya Films, M-Films
Coproduction: Kjellson & Wik
Release : planned for 2025
Gallery
Support
CNC – Aide aux Cinémas du Monde, Kazakh Cinema Fund, Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Lithuanian Film Center, NFF+HBF, HBF+Europe, Adilzhan Tuyakbay, Europe Creative / MEDIA, Hubert Bals Fund, When East Meets West (développement) et Prix WEMW EWA
Project selected at
Pop-up film residency 2021, When East Meets West 2021, Cinemart 2022, TIFF Filmmaker Lab, ACE Producers, Music composition market: Music&Cinema 2024, Gotham Week 2024, Red Sea Film Festival 2024 – Post Production Ambient Light Award, First Cut Lab 2025
Crew
Director Zhannat Alshanova
Cinematographer Caroline Champetier
1st assistant camera Hugo Martin
Production designer Aliya Odinaeva
Costume designer Fausta Naujale
Sound engineer Alexandr Khimich
Line producer Anna Erastova
Producers Jean-Laurent Csinidis, Zhannat Alshanova, Denis Vaslin, Marija Razgutė
Coproducer Marie Kjellson
Technical sheet
Feature
Format HD
Sound 5.1, stereo
Length 90 minutes
Colour