Indiecan Entertainment Brings Roope Olenius' Sports Thriller Free Skate to North American VOD. Cable VOD and Digital HD Debut February 28th, 2023 "The film is largely carried forward by Veera W. Vilo’s talent and devotion to her craft; her transformation from a beaming real-life personality to a shy, insecure figure skater glues you to the seat." -- Finland Today "Free Skate is thoughtful and brave filmmaking. It shows us an individual journey that spectators and athletes can surely relate to. This is an outstanding film." -- About Boulder "Vilo delivers a powerhouse performance. That alone makes Free Skate an early surprise of 2023." -- Sunshine State Cineplex
Los Angeles, CA - Following a successful run on the global film festival circuit and limited theatrical release, Canadian distributor Indiecan Entertainment is inviting North American audiences to experience the beauty and trauma of being a world class athlete with Free Skate. Roope Olenius' feature is written by lead actress 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. Free Skate will be available on a number of digital and cable platforms in North America, including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, iNDemand and DISH, starting February 28th, 2023. Ahead of the North American bow, Olenius shared, "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.”
A young and promising Russian figure skater is found beaten and frostbitten in a lay-by of a motorway in Finland. In the hospital, the officials find a letter from her belongings and are able to reconnect her with her Finnish grandmother, whom she has not seen for years. With the help of her grandmother, who offers her the shelter of her home, the figure skater tries to re-establish herself and recover from the trauma and inhumane circumstances that forced her to flee from Russia. She finds a new chance with top figure skating, but despite the bright future, new friends and possibilities, her past won’t let go of her. The figure skater realizes facing her troubled past is the only option to make it to the top.
Comments