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Feature Film

Bille

Bille is a story based on Latvian author, the Nobel Prize candidate, Vizma Belševica's autobiographical novel of the...

“Bille is a story based on Latvian author, the Nobel Prize candidate, Vizma Belševica's autobiographical novel of the same name. A life-provoking, hopeful and solemn story about the growth of one human child and the relationship with the world in Latvia at the end of the 1930s.”

Lens/Camera Information
Lens series: Anamorphic/i
Focus lengths: 32mm 50mm 75mm 100mm
Camera: Arri Alexa XT
Original Aspect Ratio: 2.39
Format: Digital
Rental Company:  BBrental http://bbrental.eu

DOP Information
Director of Photography: Jurgis Kmins http://www.jurgiskmins.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jurgiskmins/
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/jurgiskmins

Production Information
Production: Bille
Producer: Janis Juhnevics
Director: Inara Kolmane
Colourist: Brano Danis
Post Production Company: Magic Lab https://www.magiclab.cz
Production Company:  Film studio Devini http://www.devini.lv/

Awards
IMAGO Best Emerging Cinematographer award 2019

DOP Jurgis Kmins on his lens choice:
“From the beginning of pre-production I was convinced about shooting on Cooke S6. I have tried them before in commercial work and knew that the characteristics of these lenses are what we need for this film. After doing tests, it was clear for director and all team that this is the right look. Due to tight budget I made my set from four lenses- 32mm; 50mm; 75mm and 100mm. At that time Cooke S6 were recently released and didn’t had beautiful 65mm macro and 40mm. So I used close up diopters for some intimate portraits and also split diopters for Bille’s imagination scenes.

We were shooting in real house where the writer was living, so even we had the possibility to make construction there, some moving walls for camera positions I knew that shooting anamorphic will help to create the feeling what I wanted in very small places. Apartment interior scenes I was shooting mostly at f2.8 which gave me very nice focus roll-off. I was very impressed how the lens performed having a big source of light like windows in the shot. It gave very pleasant pastel feel but still remaining nice contrast.

I wanted to create feeling if audience is watching the world with small girls eyes. Full with magic, unexpected twists and curiosity. Cooke anamorphic helped me to enhance my visual approach.”