PRODUCTION: Lithuanian/Czech Runner Presented at First Cut+ Works in Progress

08-07-2020

PRODUCTION: Lithuanian/Czech Runner Presented at First Cut+ Works in Progress

By FNE Staff

Runner by Andrius Blaževičius photo: M-films

VILNIUS: Lithuanian director Andrius Blaževičius is in postproduction with his second feature film Runner. The Lithuanian/Czech coproduction, which was previously titled Paralysis, was introduced on 6 July 2020 at First Cut+ Works in Progress, presented as part of the online Karlovy Vary Eastern Promises programme.

Principle photography took place in Lithuania in the summer of 2019. Post-production should be finished by the end of the summer.

The director said the film takes place in a 24-hour period. The central character, Marija is on a frantic search for her boyfriend, who is on the loose during his latest psychotic episode. She chases down random clues throughout the city. Runner is a film about sacrifice, love and freedom.

According to the producers’ statement, “The director is interested in how these two topics intersect, and how they come from responsibility and self-sacrifice for other topics. Due to the aggressive foreign policy of Russia, the conflicts of Soviet and modern thinking in Lithuania, in the director’s opinion the topic of personal freedom is relevant as never before. Due to the still stereotypical attitude in Lithuania that a woman is the ‘weaker gender,’ the choice of a woman as the main character in the film about freedom is necessary. Meanwhile, love in the film is the main answer to all the challenges facing the modern man.”

The main characters are played by Gelminė Glemžaitė, Marius Repšys, Žygimantė Jakštaitė and Valentinas Krulikovskis.

The film received 500,000 EUR of production support from the Lithuanian Film Centre. The producers are seeking an additional 45,000 EUR to complete post-production.

Runner is produced by Lithuania’s M-films, with lead producer Marija Razgutė. M-films produced Blazecicius’s debut film The Saint / Šventasis (2017), which won six national awards in Lithuania, including the Best Feature, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Script.

The theatrical release is planned for the beginning of 2021.

Production information:

M-FilmsM-Films
Marija Razgutė
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Credits:
Director: Andrius Blaževičius
Scriptwriters: Marija Kavtaradzė, Teklė Kavtaradzė, Andrius Blaževičius
DOP: Narvydas Naujalis
Production designer: Aurimas Akšys
Cast: Gelminė Glemžaitė, Marius Repšys, Žygimantė Jakštaitė, Valentinas Krulikovskis, Lukas Malinauskas, Indrė Patkauskaitė, Viktorija Kuodytė, Vytautas Kaniušonis

Published in Lithuania