An Austrian Great Britain Latvia Production, 2006.

Orginal title: Midsummer Madness. Filmed on 35mm; running time 100 minutes; color; aspect ratio 1:1,85; original language English, Latvia.

DIRECTOR/WRITER Alexander Hahn

PRODUCERS Markus Fischer, Steve Walsh, Guntis Trekteris

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Markus Fischer
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jerzy Palacz
Studio: Fisher film GMBG (Austria, England, Latvia)

Janu Nakts (St. John's Night) is a traditional Latvian celebration during which family and friends gather to build bonfires, barbecue, drink and generally have a good time. According to legend, lovers and those who would like to fall in love, can search the woods for the “magic fern” on this night. This magic fern serves as the focus and pivotal point of the six stories in “Midsummer Madness” It is also a metaphor for the film's underlying theme - finding love. “MIDSUMMER MADNESS ” is reflected in the recurring element of the magic fern, a metaphor (both in the film and in real life) for love. The question posed by the film is: can a search for love ever be successful? Each story deals with this question. An answer is provided at the film's conclusion in a humorous and unforgettable way: we see the legendary fern, glowing magically in a meadow. It exists after all! Then a cow ambles along and eats it. The deeper message, which is not obvious to the audience, is therefore: Yes, a search for love can be successful, though we are generally unaware of how to deal with it.

CINEVERA SERVICE: Rimantas Jurgelevièius; Andrius Baltruðiûnas; Mindaugas Markauskas; Gintaras Butënas; Vladimir Polamarèuk; Viaèeslav Rogaèiov.

Foto: Jerzy Palacz