12 premieres and 4 programmes dedicated to Lithuanian films at “Kino pavasaris”
The 20th Vilnius International Film Festival “Kino Pavasaris” will once again pay special attention to Lithuanian cinema. Starting March 19th, audiences will be able to attend four Lithuanian programmes, which will include premieres, films by Lithuanian emigrants and a documentary cinema anthology.
12 Lithuanian film premieres
The festival will introduce 12 films, most of them short, from Lithuanian creators. The programme “Lithuanian Premieres” includes director Jonas Trukanas’s most recent work “Ghost I Don’t Remember”, photographer Ignas Meilūnas’s debut film “Woods”, another directorial debut, titled “The Loops of Emptiness”, from playwright, member of the band “AVaspo” Gabrielė Labanauskaitė and Adomas Jablonskis, as well as young director Kamilė Milašiūtė’s drama “After Rave”. Linas Ryškus, better known as a television producer, will premiere his documentary “Sigute” during “Kino Pavasaris”.
Audiences will discover Lithuanian cinema from abroad
Not all Lithuanian films are created domestically. Festival programmers have once again selected films connected to Lithuania that come from all around the world, even Africa and Australia. The “Lithuanians Abroad” programme will include 20 films overall.
Antanas Mockus will be one of the most distinguished guests at the festival
Festival-goers will be able to meet with Lithuanian actress Severija Janušauskaitė, who has gained recognition in Russia. Her role in the film “Star” earned her the best actress award at the Russian Film Festival Kinotavr and the National Russian Film Award, the Golden Eagle. Most recently, Janušauskaitė was nominated at the Nika Awards, the Russian equivalent of the Oscars.
Documentary “Life Is Sacred” will open the Lithuanian programme on March 21st. It will introduce viewers to the former mayor of Bogotá, living legend Antanas Mockus, and his unique campaign to become the president of Colombia. Mockus, who is a rare guest in his parents’ homeland, has promised to attend the premiere. The film will also be introduced by one of the directors and camera operator Nicolas Servide.
Audiences will also see film about Sabonis
“Kino Pavasaris” will screen brand new Lithuanian films that have already premiered. Included in the programme is a documentary about the legendary Lithuanian basketball player “Arvydas Sabonis. 11”, directed by Rimvydas Čekavičius. The festival will also include director Giedrė Žickytė’s “Master and Tatyana”, which was well received despite its limited release in Lithuanian cinemas and introduces viewers to the cult Lithuanian photographer Vitas Luckus. Finally, there’s the first animated Lithuanian film “The Golden Horse”, and a children’s book of the same name will be introduced during its screenings.
A rare opportunity to see classic documentaries
Though “Kino Pavasaris” is first and foremost a festival for new films, the programme also includes old Lithuanian documentaries that most viewers will discover for the first time. Nine Lithuanian short documentary films made before and after 1990 have been newly digitized and compiled into two separate showings.
Short film night
Fans of concise stories will again be invited to attend the Lithuanian short film night. 24 short films, including documentary and experimental shorts created by Lithuanians all around the world, will fit into the screening time of 6 hours.
“Kino Pavasaris” will also uphold its tradition of showing films outside of the movie theatre. This year, news site “15min.lt” will stream five films online, available to viewers in Lithuania, and Artūras Jevdokimovas’s film “Plot” will invite audiences inside the historic House of Writers, which is also the subject of this documentary.
Discounted tickets on March 11th
“Kino Pavasaris”, the largest film festival in Lithuania, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, taking place March 19th – April 2nd. Tickets are already on sale. As a way to commemorate March 11th, Day of Restoration of Lithuania’s Independence, tickets to screenings of Lithuanian films will be cheaper and cost 2,30 euros.