16-11-2022

PRODUCTION: Lithuanian Director Ignas Jonynas Shoots Border Wall

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    Border Wall by Ignas Jonynas Border Wall by Ignas Jonynas copyright: Baltic Productions

    VILNIUS: Lithuanian director Ignas Jonynas is currently filming his third feature film Border Wall / Siena, which is supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre.

    In a small city located next to the border, an alcoholic ornithologist is left alone to look after his autistic teenage daughter. He gets himself into a dangerous smuggling business when he is trying to flee responsibility for a near-deadly accident, trapping himself in decisions he must make about right and wrong, life purpose and freedom on every level.

    “My generation grew behind the Iron Curtain, so anything to do with freedom and liberation seemed to only exist on the other side of the wall. Once the border between the East and the West collapsed, freedom entered our existence. But the freedom on the outside doesn’t always release you from your internal prison. This reflection raises a question: what if physical and legal freedom, and existential freedom of a human being have nothing in common? My aim is to explore the protagonist’s internal struggles while searching to determine the borders of freedom for all of us, inside and out”, said Ignas Jonynas in a statement. Jonynas also penned the script.

    The cast consists of Šarūnas Zenkevičius, Urtė Povilauskaitė, Eglė Mikulionytė, Laurynas Luotė and Danguolė Beinarytė.

    The filming started in Vilnius in October 2022 and will continue until 18 December 2022 in Rusnė, a town located in the western part of the country, known as the "Venice of Lithuania”. In all, there are 37 shooting days.

    The film is produced by Rūta Adelė Jekentaitė and Martynas Mickėnas through Baltic Productions with support from the Lithuanian Film Centre and private company investment. The shooting is benefiting from the Lithuanian Film Centre's tax incentives scheme. The budget is approximately 1.2 m EUR.

    The release of the film is planned for the end of 2023 – beginning of 2024. Sales and distribution are to be confirmed.

    Production Information:

    Producer:
    Border Wall by Ignas Jonynas, copyright: Baltic ProductionsBaltic Productions (Lithuania)
    Rūta Adele Jekentaitė: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Credits:
    Director: Ignas Jonynas
    Scriptwriter: Ignas Jonynas
    DoP:  Audrius Budrys
    Production designer: Kotryna Balčiūnaitė
    Cast: Šarūnas Zenkevičius, Urtė Povilauskaitė, Eglė Mikulionytė, Laurynas Luotė, Danguolė Beinarytė