Duck Roast

Young immigrant in Finland tries to impress his date with a duck roast dinner, but things start breaking down along cultural lines, both in front of and behind the camera.

  • Jelica Jerinić
    Director
  • Jelica Jerinić
    Writer
  • Aleksandar Marković
    Writer
  • Mete Sasioglu
    Producer
  • Kardo Shiwan
    Key Cast
  • Leena Pöysti
    Key Cast
  • Anastasia Trizna
    Key Cast
  • Juha-Pekka Mikkola
    Key Cast
  • Roxana Sadvokassova
    Key Cast
  • Christopher L. Thomas
    Director of Photography
  • Jussi Sandhu
    Editor
  • Tia Hassinen
    Production Design
  • Tia Hassinen
    Costume Design
  • Noora-Maria Riitijoki
    Makeup Artist
  • Silja Nuotio
    Makeup Artist
  • Iiris Orasmaa
    First Assistant Director
  • Johanna K. Lumi
    Second Assistant Director
  • Nelli Hokkanen
    Third Assistant Director
  • Jyri Pirinen
    Sound Recordist
  • Samuli Ala-Lahti
    Sound Recordist
  • Jyri Pirinen
    Sound Design
  • Otto Färm
    Camera and Electrical Department
  • Aku Hämäri
    Camera and Electrical Department
  • Janne Jääskeläinen
    Camera and Electrical Department
  • Miska Rämö
    Camera and Electrical Department
  • Henri Tonteri
    Camera and Electrical Department
  • Reetta Somppi
    First Assistant Camera
  • Khanh Ngo
    Second Assistant Camera
  • Jussi Myllyniemi
    Colorist
  • Melisa Yasav
    Production Assistant
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 16, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    85,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Finland
  • Country of Filming:
    Finland
  • Language:
    English, Finnish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Helsinki International Film Festival
    Helsinki
    Finland
    September 16, 2023
    National Premiere
    National Competition Programme
  • Küstendorf Film Festival
    Drvengrad
    Serbia
    January 24, 2024
    International Premiere
    Official Selection
  • MARTOVSKI - Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival
    Belgrade
    Serbia
    March 30, 2024
    Belgrade Premiere
    Special Mention from the Jury
  • BAFICI - Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema
    Buenos Aires
    Argentina
    April 22, 2024
    Latin American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala
    Kerala
    India
    July 27, 2024
  • Drim Short Film Festival
    Struga
    North Macedonia
    August 10, 2024
    North Macedonian Premiere
  • Mladinski Filmski Festival
    Skopje
    North Macedonia
    August 31, 2024
  • International Film Festival BRNO16
    Brno
    Czech Republic
    October 2, 2024
    Official International Selection
  • Filmski Front Festival
    Novi Sad
    Serbia
    October 25, 2024
    Official Selection
  • International Short Film Festival of Cyprus
    Limassol
    Cyprus
    October 12, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Braunschweig International Film Festival
    Braunschweig
    Germany
    November 14, 2024
    German Premiere
    Official Selection
  • exground film fest
    Wiesbaden
    Germany
    November 16, 2024
  • Valjevski Filmski Susreti
    Valjevo
    Serbia
    December 15, 2024
    Best Film Award
Distribution Information
  • YLE
    Distributor
    Country: Finland
    Rights: Free TV
  • Raina Films
    Sales Agent
    Country: Finland
Director Biography - Jelica Jerinić

Jelica Jerinić is a Serbian-born and Helsinki-based filmmaker. She holds a BA and MA in Dramaturgy, from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. She is an alumna of: Academy of Moving People and Images, Sarajevo Talents, European Short Pitch, EFM Fiction Toolbox Programme and Torino Film Lab. She has directed four short films: a documentary, "Girls Who Cut Their Hair Short", fiction films, "Dog Day" and "Duck Roast", and an 8mm docu-fiction, "Sweet Memories". She is currently developing a short fiction film "Imaginary Numbers", supported by Film Center Serbia, Croatian Audiovisual Centre and Creative Europe Media. She is a co-founder of a Helsinki based film collective "Film Tonight!".

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Duck Roast" is a story about trying to find appreciation in a foreign environment. The narrative of a nameless immigrant trying to woo a girl with an unusual dinner menu is a true story that I heard during my own 18 months of integration course to which I was sent after moving to Finland. The meta narrative, one of a director struggling to communicate her ideas, is based on real conversations I had while trying to pitch the former as a short film.

For some reason, the story resonated deeply with me, but ended up shocking or confusing everyone else I brought it to. I wanted to preserve some of that outrage, and combine it with Finnish-style deadpan acting and chaotic “film set within a film” situation. Immigrants in this film do experience difficulties, but they are faulty like everybody else, and literally in control of their own narrative.