Ashes in the Snow


Ashes in the Snow is a Lithuanian-American World War II drama film based on The New York Times best selling novel Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. It stars Aistė Diržiūtė, Bel Powley, Martin Wallström, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Jonah Hauer-King, Peter Franzén and Sophie Cookson. It had its world premiere at the LA Film Festival on 21 September 2018.

Plot

The film is a coming-of-age tale of a young girl, who with her mother and younger brother is deported to a Soviet labor camp amid Stalin's reign of terror in the Baltic region during World War II. An aspiring artist, she secretly documents her harrowing journey with her drawings.
In 1941, sixteen-year old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father gets separated from the family and put in a prison camp. Lina fights for her life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like her, by documenting the experience in her art and notes. She risks everything, hoping that her messages in art will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know his family is still alive. but sadly never makes it to him.

Cast

Casting

On 19 May 2015, it was announced that Bel Powley was attached to play the lead role of Lina Vilkas. On 3 November 2015, Jonah Hauer-King was added to the cast.
On 3 February 2016, it was announced that Martin Wallström was cast as the movie's male lead, playing a Soviet officer taunted for being Ukrainian, who befriends the young girl and her mother. Norwegian actress Lisa Loven Kongsli was cast as Lina's mother Elena Vilkas, James Cosmo as Mr.Stalas, and Peter Franzén as General Komarov.
Four Lithuanian actors were cast: Aistė Diržiūtė, Gabija Jaraminaitė, Darius Meškauskas, and Ramūnas Cicėnas.

Filming

In the late January 2016, filming began in Nida, Lithuania. Filming in Vilnius began in April 2016 and moved to Kaunas in May.

Music

On 13 September 2018, an official song for the movie was released. It was announced that a cover of the Bob Dylan song "Ring Them Bells", performed by Lithuanian singer Gjan, would appear in the end titles of "Ashes in the Snow". The music video for the song was directed by Marius Markevicius and features scenes from the movie.

Release

The film had its world premiere at the LA Film Festival on 21 September 2018. Vertical Entertainment will distribute the film in the United States.