Biographical drama “Ulya”, inspired by the life of Latvian basketball icon Uļjana Semjonova, will have its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival.
Directed by Latvian filmmaker Viesturs Kairišs, the black-and-white film traces Semjonova’s journey from rural Latvia to sporting stardom. The story begins in 1964 and follows a young woman who struggles with her height, identity and place in the world before basketball changes the course of her life.
Latvian actor Kārlis Arnolds Avots, seen in January and Soviet Jeans, plays Semjonova and co-wrote the screenplay with Livia Ulman and Andris Feldmanis. Wojtek Staron handled cinematography.
Guntis Trekteris of Ego Media produced the film, with Ieva Norviliene, Pille Rünk and Malgorzata Staron as co-producers. B-Rated International is handling sales.
According to the film’s synopsis, Semjonova grows up in an Old Believers community and initially feels out of step with the world around her. When basketball coaches spot her in a class photo, she is invited to Riga to join a prominent team. From there, the film follows her struggle to accept herself and decide whether to stay hidden or pursue greatness.
THR has also revealed two exclusive clips from the film. The first shows a basketball training session, while the second focuses on Semjonova’s religious upbringing and the tension between tradition and the path that basketball offers her.