Fizz-e-Motion Boards Sports Thriller ‘Free Skate,’ Debuts Trailer

Fizz-e-Motion has acquired international sales rights to coming-of-age skating thriller “Free Skate,” and will present it to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin next month. Indiecan has North American rights. The producer will handle Scandinavian distribution. Fizz-e-Motion has debuted the trailer (below).

The film, directed by Roope Olenius, centers on a promising figure skater who flees from Russia to Finland to escape her inhumane circumstances. Despite the bright future and new possibilities, her past won’t let go of her. She realizes facing her troubled past is her only option to make it to the top.

The screenplay is written by Veera W. Vilo, based on her own experiences as a gymnast, her colleagues’ similar experiences, and disturbing stories of female athletes and dancers that have come to light after the start of the #metoo movement.

In a statement, Olenius said: ”The film not only discusses the practice methods, psyche and human rights of the athletes but sheds light on the unfortunate connection between female sports and human trafficking, which we have become increasingly more aware after the rise of the #metoo movement. Our aim was to make a European sports film that doesn’t just glamorize the sports, but dares to dig deeper into being a real human being in the sometimes overly demanding professional sports.”

The film stars Vilo, Leena Uotila, Karoliina Blackburn and Jevgeni Haukka, with figure skating stunts performed by Belgian Olympic skater Loena Hendrickx.

The production company is Bright Fame Pictures. The co-producers are Brave Teddy, Optipari and Whitepoint. The film is produced by Olenius, Vilo, Teea Siltanen and Miikka J. Anttila.