The Hungarian/French/German coproduction is about three women living in three European cities, who are all faced with a major decision. The story revolves around the diverse ways these characters in their forties grapple with the question of motherhood: one through adoption, one through artificial insemination and one through abortion.
“I have reached the age where it is inevitable to talk about having children, whatever the answer to this ambivalent question. That's when I decided to try to summarise the dilemmas related to this topic in a film," said director/screenwriter Borbála Nagy in a statement.
The creators aim for a subtle and ironic tone, and the absurd life situations depicted in the film will provide humour during the personal dramas of the three women.
The three main roles are played by Orsolya Török-Illyés, Vera Sipos and Rozália Székely.
The shooting takes place in Hungary from 28 October to 3 December 2023. While most scenes are shot in Budapest, the crew will continue filming in Berlin and Paris in March 2024.
The Origin of the World / A világ eredete won the Most Promising Feature Film Award at the Budapest Debut Film Forum. In 2022, the project participated in the Full Circle Lab in France and was also invited to the connecting cottbus co-production forum, where it won the Producer’s Network Award.
The Origin of the World is a joint venture of Lupa Pictures, Sister Productions, Voices Films and the Berlin Film and Television Academy. The producer is Petra Iványi. Julie Paratian, Margarita Amineva Jester and Daria Wichmann are coproducing. The total budget is 635,000 EUR.
The film received a production grant of 324,500 EUR through the Incubator Programme of the National Film Institute – Hungary, a programme which supports young filmmakers to make their first feature. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region is also supporting.
The Origin of the World is set to be released in 2025.
Borbála Nagy studied Film Sciences in Budapest and worked as a journalist. In 2011, she moved to Germany and successfully applied to the Berlin Film and Television Academy (DFFB). She was invited to the Talents Sarajevo (2017), Berlinale Talents (2020) and the Cannes Cinéfondation Residence (2021-2022). She directed short films Everything Alright / Minden rendben and Land of Glory / Pannónia dicsérete, which won the German Short Film Award and the Hungarian Film Critics' Award.
Production Information:
Producer:
Lupa Pictures (Hungary)
Petra Iványi: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Coproducers:
Sister Productions (France)
Voices Films (Germany)
Berlin Film and Television Academy (Germany)
Credits:
Director: Borbála Nagy
Scriptwriter: Borbála Nagy
DoP: Moritz Friese
Editor: László Dunai
Production designer: Gréta Melicher
Costume designer: Hajnalka Bognár
Cast: Vera Sipos, Rozália Székely, Orsolya Török-Illyés
