The Market Insider is an industry-focused podcast by FRED Film Radio in collaboration with Cinema & Video International, recorded during the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
The series explores the business and strategic dynamics of the international film and audiovisual sector through in-depth conversations with producers, distributors, sales agents, film commissioners, and industry experts. Each episode provides valuable insights into market trends, challenges, and innovations, offering professionals and enthusiasts a comprehensive understanding of today’s global film industry.
We talk about “Titanic Ocean”, debut film by Konstantina Kotzamani, which will be presented in Un Certain Regard at the 79° Festival de Cannes, with the producer Maria Drandaki from Homemade Films.
Exploring the Depths of the “Titanic Ocean”: A Cinematic Journey
“Titanic Ocean” is a coming of age phantasy, set in a special boarding school in Japan that trains girls into professional mermaids, and where 17-year-old Akame experiences a metamorphosis.
It was born from the imagination of Greek director Konstantina Kotzamani: Homemade Films, the production company of Maria Drandaki produced two of her shorts and was convinced to embark in this crazy journey of self-discovery and transition from childhood into womanhood.
“Titanic Ocean”: the Co-Production Structure
“Titanic Ocean“ was developed thanks to Onassis Foundation, TorinoFilmLab. It is a co-production between Greece (Homemade Films) -Germany (Wunderlust)-Romania (defilm)-France-Spain (Frida Films)-Japan (Happinet Phantom Studio).
It was entirely shot in Japan in Japanese, between Tokyo and Okinawa, with the support of several Japanese Film Commission.
“Titanic Ocean”: Audience Design
The work on “Titanic Ocean” Audience Design began much before starting production, explains Maria Drandaki . Its main targets will be younger viewers (and their parents!) and mermaid enthusiasts, but also viewers who are sensitive to enviromental topics. Its captivating visuals and symbolic meaning invite viewers to embark on a journey of imagination and self-reflection and to dive into an immersive world where fantasy intertwines with reality.
Plot
In the scintillating, pop-infused world of a Japanese boarding school that trains teenage girls to become professional mermaids, 17-year-old Akame learns to hold her breath, perform for adoring crowds, and swim alongside sharks. Under her silicone mermaid tail, Akame will find her siren voice, discover first love and experience a metamorphosis, turning performance into transformation.