Lagoons: Battle for Paradise

Cannes Docs

Lagoons: Battle for Paradise

Original title: Лимани. Бій за Рай

Directed by: Serhii Lysenko

Produced by: Anna Kapustina (Albatros Communicos, Ukraine), Oleksandra Kravchenko (Ukraine)

Country of production: Ukraine

Runtime: 75'

Expected release: October, 2023 (date is subject to change due to the war of Russia in Ukraine)

Production stage: Post Production

Budget: €198,300 (80% in place)

1st feature: No

Looking for: Festivals, sales agents / distributors, buyers, gap financing, strategic guidance

Synopsis:

During one year, the wheel of wildlife at Tuzly Lagoons Nature Park in Ukraine comes full circle, as people who want to live as a part of Nature, fight those who only want to use it.  Heavenly landscapes inhabited by rare animals and birds become a stronghold for the dangerous struggle of Ivan and Iryna, the two park managers and activists, against the poachers, illegal developers and corrupted politicians.

Director’s profile:

Serhiy Lysenko studied film directing at the Kyiv University of Theatre, Cinema, and Television. From 2005 until 2011 he worked as a director and screenwriter of television films. In 2012, he founded his own company and began making documentary films. At present, he works as a filmmaker and film editor. Currently based in Kyiv, filming for the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the frontline of the Russian war against Ukraine.

Producer’s profile:

Anna Kapustina is a producer based in Ukraine and the founder of the production company ALBATROS COMMUNICOS. In 2003 – 2014 had been producing commercials, TV programs and reality-shows. Since 2014 is a producer of the Ukrainian film community #BABYLON`13. Selected participant at IDFAcademy Summer School, Dok.Incubator and B2BDoc. Her latest film The Earth Is Blue As An Orange won The Best Director Award at the Sundance FF.

Born in Kherson, Ukraine in 1983. Since 2011, Oleksandra Kravchenko has worked in the film industry: as a communications director (Odesa International Film Festival, Arthouse Traffic film distribution company), executive marketing manager (Animagrad animation studio / FILM.UA Group), and independent producer (ESSE Production House, DGTL RLGN, Albatros Communicos, Moon Man).