Jãnis Abele: The Last Will

A copy-paste from FNE (FilmNewEurope) about a film that I have seen close to final cut thanks to the producer Guntis Trekteris, loved it:

RIGA: Latvian director/writer Jānis Ābele is currently in postproduction with his documentary The Last Will, which is expected to be released in the autumn of 2024.

Anatols Imermanis, a poet, founder of the Latvian detective genre and a famous bohemian, draws us in his last detective story 20 years after his death. He could call himself a successful, financially stable Soviet writer. But he wanted more. Being free in the West, especially in Paris, was a life-long dream for Imermanis. As he was never allowed to leave the Soviet Union, he created his own personal Paris: bohemian lifestyle, sexual freedom, ignoring all the puritan norms of the Soviet world. He died alone without fulfilling his dream about Paris.

“Anatols Imermanis was one of the most genuine dissidents in the Baltics. His unique life gave rise to the desire to study it more profoundly, because such stories about unusual personalities who, despite the pressure of the regime, dared not to fit into the normality, are of great importance. The personality of Imermanis clarified the intention of the authors to create an unusual film in form and content, evidenced by the applied detective story genre and shameless game elements. In our perspective, this is a great way to appeal to the audience of today”, producer Guntis Trekteris told FNE.

Guntis Trekteris and Dita Birkenšteine are producing through Latvian company Ego Media with the support of the National Film Centre of Latvia.

The article is signed by Alexander Gabelis, photo-credit: Toms Šķēle.

The total budget is 181,447 EUR.

The film was shot in Latvia and France in 2023.