First Look At Bel Powley Film ASHES IN THE SNOW

Lisa Loven Kongsli (upcoming WONDER WOMAN, FORCE MAJEURE), Sophie Cookson (KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE), and Peter Franzen (History Channel’s ‘Vikings’, THE GUNMAN) have joined 2016 BAFTA Rising Star nominee Bel Powley (upcoming CARRIE PILBY, THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL), Jonah Hauer-King, and Martin Wallstrom (FX series ‘Mr. Robot’) in Marius Markevicius’ riveting ASHES IN THE SNOW, it was announced by Radiant Films International President and CEO, Mimi Steinbauer.

Rounding out the newly announced cast are Sam Hazeldine (THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR, MONUMENTS MEN), James Cosmo (HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’, upcoming BEN-HUR), Adrian Schiller (THE DANISH GIRL, SUFFRAGETTE) and Tom Sweet.

Currently in production, Radiant will present the project to international buyers at the upcoming Marche du Film in Cannes.

ASHES IN THE SNOW is the poignant story of a 16-year-old heroine Lina Vilkas (Powley) who is separated from her family amidst Stalin’s reign of terror in the Baltic region during WWII. Lina, an aspiring artist, risks her life and uses her art to secretly send messages to her imprisoned father to let him know she is still alive. Through a long harrowing journey during the winter months, it is Lina’s drawings and the strength of the human spirit that keeps her and the other survivors alive.

Award-winning cinematographer Ramunas Greicius filmed the breath-taking winter scenes earlier this year in Lithuania. The final summer scenes will shoot this May and June.

“In an age where we need more strong female characters, the heroine in this film is the epitome of what women can achieve against all odds – she is fearless, determined, and inspiring,” said Steinbauer.

Based on Ruta Sepetys’ New York Times best-selling novel Between Shades of Gray and the true-life story of Siberia exiled survivor Irena Spakauskiene, the film adaptation is written by Ben York Jones (LIKE CRAZY, BREATHE IN). The English language version of the novel was released in 2011 and has been published in 51 countries and translated into 36 languages. It has sold over 1 million copies worldwide and won a significant number of prestigious literary awards including the Notable Books for a Global Society Award and a Carnegie Medal nomination. Her latest novel published earlier this year by Penguin, Salt to the Sea, was an instant bestseller and is holding steady on the New York Times Best Seller list since its release. This new book is being circled by major studios and producers for adaptation.

Director Marius Markevicius is also producing alongside Chris Coen (FUNNY GAMES, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS) and Zilvinas Naujokas. Executive producer is Jonathan Schwartz (THE WAY BACK).

Marius Markevicius was nominated in 2012 for the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize for the Arcade/Lionsgate documentary THE OTHER DREAM TEAM. He was a producer of the acclaimed films LIKE CRAZY starring Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence, and Peter Weir’s Oscar nominated THE WAY BACK.

Lisa Loven Kongsli will next star as one of the four warrior women alongside Gal Gadot, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen in Warner Bros.’ highly anticipated WONDER WOMAN directed by Patty Jenkins. She previously starred in the critically acclaimed FORCE MAJEURE which won the 2014 Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard Jury Prize. Kongsli began her career in the Norwegian films FATSO, KNERTEN, and THE ORHEIM COMPANY.

Best known for her role as Roxy in KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE and as Pippa in THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR, Sophie Cookson got her start as Grace Mohune in the TV Mini-Series drama “Moonfleet”. She will soon reprise her role as Roxy in KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE tentatively set for a 2017 release

Peter Franzen is considered one of Finland’s most respected actors and has won Finland’s premiere film award, the Jussi Award for best actor. Franzen currently stars in History Channel’s acclaimed television series ‘Vikings’ and previously starred alongside Sean Penn and Javier Bardem in Pierre Morel’s THE GUNMAN. His other credits include AMBUSH, BAD BOYS, HEART OF A LION.

Bel Powley, the breakout star of the critically acclaimed DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL can next be seen in A24’s EQUALS co-starring Nicholas Hoult and Kristen Stewart, DETOUR alongside Tye Sheridan and Stephen Moyer, Fritz Bohm’s WILDING with Liv Tyler, CARRIE PILBY with Nathan Lane and Gabriel Byrne, and Haifaa Al-Mansour’s A STORM IN THE STARS co-starring Elle Fanning, Maisie Williams, and Tom Sturridge.