Farewell Pawel - Rosemarie Blank

Original Dutch film title:
VAARWEL PAVEL
Year:
1999
Length:
92 minutes

Tagline:
Artistic film about a journalist from St. Petersburg who researches women trafficking in Rotterdam.

Logline:
The story is set in two cities, Rotterdam and St. Petersburg. The stay in Rotterdam has fatal consequences for 40 year old Alexei, journalist from St. Petersburg. In St. Petersburg, his son Pawel waits for his fathers return who had promised to be back for the yearly commemoration of his deceased wife, Pawel’s mother.

Synopsis:
Alexei Petrov, a journalist from St. Petersburg, is lying on a bed in a shabby hotel room in Rotterdam. Exhausted and still wearing his overcoat. By the roadside facing the hotel, a grey Mercedes parks. The journalist suspects this is no coincidence. Alexei Petrov is researching Russian freighters that have been impounded in the Port of Rotterdam. He writes about trafficking in women and helps a Russian prostitute to get a forged passport.

The story is set in two cities. In Rotterdam we follow Alexei and in St. Petersburg his
14-year-old son Pawel who worries about his father. Events in both cities run more or less parallel, until a shift becomes apparent. For Pawel, who is growing up, time passes rapidly, while for Alexei, who feels increasingly threatened losing his grip in the West, time stands still.

Cast:
Valery Kuchareschin (Alexei Petrov)
Boris Khvoles (Pawel)
and: Isil Zabludowskij, Vlatka Simac, Kostja Smirnov, Maria Pliatskovskaya, Bert Luppes, Adrian Brine

Crew:
script & direction: Rosemarie Blank
camera: Martin Gressmann
sound: Harold Jalving
gaffer: Dima Kulakov, Chris Uiterwijk
art director: Michael Suzdalov, Diana Van De Vossenberg
costume design: Tatjana Patrakhalzeva, Bernadette Corstens
make-up: Klavia Malysh, Marleen Holthuis
editing: Jan Wouter van Reijen
sound design: Ad Roest
laboratory: Cineco
line producer: Karin S. de Boer
producer: René Scholten

this film is a co-production of Studio Nieuwe Gronden with NPS televisie and ZDF

this film is financially supported by:
Media Programme of the European Union
Netherlands Film Fund
NPS
ZDF
CoBO-fonds
Filmfonds Rotterdam