08-11-2021

FESTIVALS: Five New Lithuanian Films Screen at Scanorama 2021

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    Cinephilia by Algimantas Puipa Cinephilia by Algimantas Puipa

    VILNIUS: Two feature films and three full-length documentaries will be screened in the 2021 edition of the New in Lithuanian Film section of Scanorama, running 4 – 14 November 2021.

    The award-winning veteran director Algimantas Puipa presents his black comedy Cinephilia produced by Uljana Kim. Puipa wrote the screenplay consisting of nine interconnected stories, wherein the main character is approached by a young man who asks him to film his suicide. The film, with nods to Kafka, Polański, and others, premiered in competition at the Warsaw Film Festival in October 2021.

    Andrius Blažeivičius presents his second feature film, Runner, a Lithuanian/Czech coproduction from M-Films and Bionaut. Blažeivičius’ debut film The Saint premiered in Busan and went on to win the Grand Prix at the Molodist Film Festival in 2018. Runner, which premiered at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, is the story of a young woman who embarks on a fast-paced journey in her efforts to locate her boyfriend after he has a psychotic episode and disappears.

    Back From New York by Ramunė Rakauskaitė is a documentary about two artists who fled to New York and their return to Lithuania 20 years later, produced by Arūnas Matelis of Studio Nominum. Portuguese-based director Albina Griniūtė will premiere her second full-length documentary Call Signs From A Distant Harbour produced by Just A Moment. The third documentary, the debut full-length film Gentle Warriors by Marija Stonytė, looks at three young women who volunteer for military service, spending nine months at an isolated military base with 600 men. The film is produced by Moonmakers.