The director and script writer Anton Maslov, the script writer Maria Maslova and the actor Kirill Rusin introduced the film License to Love participating in the Russian Premiere competition of 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
The plot is focused on Katerina who has worked at the city registry office for many years. Every day she binds loving hearts together while her own family has been put on hold for some time. Katerina’s husband has been in a coma for 5 years and her whole family is living as if in a coma too.
Anton Maslov: «I am confident that a film must have a good ending with catharsis. Of course, reflections should be there, but the spectator must have a chance to see a good ending, which is a rare thing for Russia. You can make a Hollywood-like ending which no one will believe, as the Russian cinema tradition has a little pain within it. This is why we made two endings, and we spent a lot of time deciding which ending we prefer for our film, which I and my wife have been scripting for seven years with breaks. Finally, we got a third option. It seems to me we all have and must have a chance for a good ending, which will give us hope. Like I said, we have spent much time scripting this story, but now it seems it has become especially relevant. Initially we named the film A Life in a Coma, many people today are putting their lives on hold, while this story is exactly about this and while we wait, life loses the most important in it".
Maria Maslova: «Our film is complex, about a woman looking for her love, despite the challenging life situation. And for a long time, we could not answer the question how this story should end. In the script we had it a bit different, but then Anton came and said: "Now, where is hope here, where is love?" In fact, it was he who invented this ending and it is great luck for a script writer to work with a director who can finish your story instead of you".
Kirill Rusin: "I play the role of the son of the main character performed by Yulia Peresild and my character, on the opposite, has always expected a bad ending for this story and felt he has somehow betrayed his mother and father. In fact, he lives with this feeling through the whole film, because when his mother tells him that everything can be better, he responds in an ambiguous way. I know that they shot various endings of the film, and each of them had its own truth, but I am interested to know which of them became part of the final film version".
The plot is focused on Katerina who has worked at the city registry office for many years. Every day she binds loving hearts together while her own family has been put on hold for some time. Katerina’s husband has been in a coma for 5 years and her whole family is living as if in a coma too.
Anton Maslov: «I am confident that a film must have a good ending with catharsis. Of course, reflections should be there, but the spectator must have a chance to see a good ending, which is a rare thing for Russia. You can make a Hollywood-like ending which no one will believe, as the Russian cinema tradition has a little pain within it. This is why we made two endings, and we spent a lot of time deciding which ending we prefer for our film, which I and my wife have been scripting for seven years with breaks. Finally, we got a third option. It seems to me we all have and must have a chance for a good ending, which will give us hope. Like I said, we have spent much time scripting this story, but now it seems it has become especially relevant. Initially we named the film A Life in a Coma, many people today are putting their lives on hold, while this story is exactly about this and while we wait, life loses the most important in it".
Maria Maslova: «Our film is complex, about a woman looking for her love, despite the challenging life situation. And for a long time, we could not answer the question how this story should end. In the script we had it a bit different, but then Anton came and said: "Now, where is hope here, where is love?" In fact, it was he who invented this ending and it is great luck for a script writer to work with a director who can finish your story instead of you".
Kirill Rusin: "I play the role of the son of the main character performed by Yulia Peresild and my character, on the opposite, has always expected a bad ending for this story and felt he has somehow betrayed his mother and father. In fact, he lives with this feeling through the whole film, because when his mother tells him that everything can be better, he responds in an ambiguous way. I know that they shot various endings of the film, and each of them had its own truth, but I am interested to know which of them became part of the final film version".