International sales for “Under the Volcano” have been secured by Paris- and Berlin-based sales house Salaud Morisset, with the film slated to make its world premiere in the Centrepiece section at next month’s Toronto Film Festival.
Directed by Polish filmmaker Damian Kocur, “Under the Volcano” is his second feature and follows a Ukrainian family whose holiday on the Spanish island of Tenerife turns into a crisis when their flight home is canceled due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Stranded on the island, the family finds themselves in the position of refugees.
Kocur commented, “The world has never been as close to a ‘volcanic eruption’ as it is now, even though we tend to assume such events won’t happen within our lifetime. My film explores how quickly our sense of security can dissolve, turning us from tourists into refugees overnight, regardless of our background or birthplace.”
François Morisset, founder of Salaud Morisset, expressed his enthusiasm: “The film’s emotional depth is compelling, with a visually striking setting that contrasts sharply with the revealing drama. The layers of emotional and political themes create a rich narrative that will resonate with audiences and provoke thoughtful discussion.”
Kocur’s debut feature, “Bread and Salt,” received the Special Jury Prize in the Horizons section at the 2022 Venice Film Festival and was showcased at various international festivals including Cairo, Antalya, and Cottbus.
“Under the Volcano” represents the second project between Kocur and Salaud Morisset, following their collaboration on the short film “As It Was,” which co-directed with Ukrainian filmmaker Anastasiia Solonevych and was featured in Cannes’ Official Competition in 2023.
Produced by Mikołaj Lizut of Lizart Film and Agnieszka Jastrzębska of Hawk Art, with co-producers Grzegorz Słoniewski of MGM SA, Michał Maksym of TVP SA, and the Polish Film Institute, the film is an addition to Salaud Morisset’s Toronto slate.
The lineup also includes Mahdi Fleifel’s “To a Land Unknown” from Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, and two short films from Cannes 2024: “Sauna Day” by Anna Hints and Tushar Prakash, and “Amarela” by André Hayato Saito.