This film was my first experience as an executive producer in a big project.
My friend and my mentor director Pavel Ruminov made this story about a woman that has cancer and in fear of dying she is looking for step parents for her son. The film was made in Moscow. Our main challenge was to create a maximum friendly atmosphere for our actors - to help them to open towards improvising. Paul wanted the actors to add into their characters something personal.
We did not allow the group to chat about the topics not connected to work. All our thoughts were turning around the film and it's story.
We were handling the topic of cancer very seriously. We had our consultant on the set. A former patient that had cancer and recovered. Finally she played a doctor coming to the heroine for medical chack at home.
During the preparation for the film we were making many researches and visited several centers curing cancer. One of them was Gamma Knife center in Moscow who's head also played a part in the film.
Another challenge for me as a producer was work with the little talent - Roma Zenchuk. Roma was a very kind, smart and polite boy. But it was his first work in cinema. So, during the first days in the decoration of the apartaments he felt a bit shy. There were too many adults around and he felt uncomforable because of it.
The first weekend I went to the cinema with him. I wanted him to feel around adults more comforatble, because there is still a small kid inside any of us. We watched an animation movie, played with snow, making a snowman, played board games. And it helped him to relax with the unknown people.
Roman became more relaxed, inspired and started to behave natural on the set. He became like a fish in the water.
The film got the main cinematographic award in Russia in 2011 on the Festival "Kinotavr" in Sochi.