Digitized and Restored CLASSIC LITHUANIAN FILMS 1957-1990

1 CONTENT

1957 BLUE HORIZON 4

1959 ADAM WANTS TO BE A MAN 5

1959 THE LIVING HEROES 6

1964 MARCH, MARCH! TRA-TA-TA! 7 1964 THE GIRL AND THE ECHO 8 Lithuanian Film Centre works 1966 STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN 9 consistently to digitize and restore the 1966 NOBODY WANTED TO DIE 10 heritage of Lithuanian classical cinema 1968 FEELINGS 11 for preservation and public access, 1969 THE BEAUTY 12 providing distribution of these films 1971 THE SMALL CONFESSION 13 nationally and abroad. All presented 1972 NORTHERN CRUSADES 14 restored films are available in DCP 1974 THE DEVIL’S BRIDE 15 format. 1974 SADUTO TUTO 16

1978 WALNUT BREAD 17

1980 FACT 18

1981 SUMMER ENDS IN FALL 19 CONTACT: 1983 FLIGHT OVER THE ATLANTIC 20

1983 WOMAN AND HER FOUR MEN 21 Dovilė Butnoriūtė Head of Department of Film Promotion, 1988 I NO LONGER REMEMBER YOUR FACE 22 Information and Heritage 1989 OPEN THE DOOR TO HIM WHO COMES 23 [email protected] 1990 CHILDREN FROM THE HOTEL “AMERICA” 24 www.lkc.lt 1990 BALTIC WAY 25

2 3 1957 1959

BLUE HORIZON ADAM WANTS TO BE A MAN Žydrasis horizontas Adomas nori būti žmogumi

Directed by Vytautas Mikalauskas Directed by Vytautas Žalakevičius 70’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 87’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English, Russian Subtitles: English, French, Polish Genre: Adventure Genre: Drama

Written by Romualdas Lankauskas Written by Vytautas Sirijos Gira, Vytautas Žalakevičius Cinematography by Algimantas Mockus Cinematography by Algimantas Mockus Music by Eduardas Balsys Music by Eduardas Balsys Cast: Jonas Sutkus, Vakaris Lopas, Vytautas Buizys, Eustachijus Cast: Vytautas Puodžiukaitis, Audronė Bajerčiūtė, Juozas Miltinis, Stasys Aukštikalnis, Romas Lietuvaitis, Napoleonas Bernotas, Zuzana Petronaitis, Valerijonas Derkintis, Vaclovas Blėdis, Masiulevičiūtė, Bronė Kurmytė, Gražina Balandytė, Elena Jackutė, Juozas Jaruševičius In a pre-WWII Lithuanian town, occupied with unemployed workers and crooks of various kinds, lives Adam, a naive young man with no job and a Two friends-boys Vitukas and Saulius decided to run to the sea and lot of dreams. His closest friend is the Captain, an old sea wolf with many become brave sailors. Rascal and swindler Tiburtius, hoping to make good tales to tell about Singapore, Hawaii and other equally exotic and sunny money on this matter, offered them his help, introducing himself as an “old places. Inspired by his stories, Adam manages to get a job in an emigration sea wolf”. Telling the parents that they are going to relatives, the boys go bureau and starts saving for his ticket to leave abroad. on the road.

1959 – “Great Amber” prize at 1st Baltic and Belarus Film Festival 1960 – Second prize for Cinematography and Set Design at the All-Union Film Festival

4 5 1959 1964

THE LIVING HEROES MARCH! MARCH! TRA-TA-TA! Gyvieji didvyriai Marš! Marš! Tra-ta-ta!

Directed by Arūnas Žebriūnas, Balys Bratkauskas, Directed by Raimondas Vabalas Vytautas Žalakevičius, Marijonas Giedrys 78’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 80’ / Lithuanian Film Studio Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English Original version: Lithuanian Genre: Political satire Subtitles: English Genre: Drama Written by Raimondas Vabalas, Grigorijus Kanovičius, Ilja Rud-Gercovskis Cinematography by Donatas Pečiūra Written by Marijonas Giedrys, Vytautas Žalakevičius, Algimantas Music by Benjaminas Gorbulskis Čekuolis, Henrikas Šablevičius Cast: Leonas Stanevičius, Valdemaras Jatautis, Birutė Žebaitė, Donatas Cinematography by Donatas Pečiūra, Robertas Verba, Algirdas Araminas, Banionis, Raimondas Vabalas, Henrika Hokušaitė Viktoras Kriaunevičius, Jonas Gricius, Algimantas Mockus, Algirdas Šimkus Music by Eduardas Balsys The openly conditional satire of pre-war militarization of and the Cast: Eduardas Čepulis, Regina Zdanavičiūtė, Kazimieras Vitkus, Nijolė first coloured film from our country. Narijauskaitė, Nerijus Narkis, Vytautas Buizys, Gediminas Pauliukaitis, In two neighbour enemy countries Centia and Groshia lives Zigmas and Balys Bratkauskas, Živilė Jakelaitytė, Bronius Babkauskas, Leonidas Jadzė, who truly loves each other. They are secretly going on dates, as Milašauskas, Valentinas Taujanskas, Antanas Gabrėnas, Steponas the identical border guards let them pass. One morning major of Groshia Kosmauskas, Vladas Jurkūnas Varnalėša accidently falls in a sewer hole, he then points to Zigmas and Jazdė as the guilty ones. This accident becomes pretext for yet another Four novels, portraying kids in different Lithuania’s epochs: before the war, war conflict between Centia and Groshia. during the war, after the war and 50s. From the little Juozukas is forced to go to work to the neighbourhood farmers we move to the little Laima, who lives by the lake and suddenly meets a soldier.

1960 – “Great Amber” prize at 2nd Baltic and Belarus Film Festival 1960 – FIRESCI prize at the XII International Karlovy Vary Festival 6 7 1964 1966

THE GIRL AND THE ECHO STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Paskutinė atostogų diena Laiptai į dangų

Directed by Arūnas Žebriūnas Directed by Raimondas Vabalas 58’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 96’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian Original version: Lithuanian French Distributor: Subtitles: English Subtitles: English, French ED Distribution / [email protected] Genre: Drama Genre: Drama

Written by Jurijus Nagibinas, Anatolijus Čerčenko, Arūnas Žebriūnas Written by Raimondas Vabalas, Mykolas Sluckis Cinematography by Jonas Gricius Cinematography by Jonas Gricius Music by Algimantas Bražinskas Music by Cast: Lina Braknytė, Valerijus Zubarevas, Bronius Babkauskas, Kalju Karmas Cast: Gražina Balandytė, Balys Barauskas, Aleksas Jonikas, Vaclovas Blėdis, Irena Garasimavičiūtė, Mamertas Karklelis, Laimonas Noreika, Eugenija The story revolves around Vika, a dreamy girl on vacation (hence the Pleškytė, Henrikas Kurauskas, Rolandas Butkevičius other title) who loves the sea, mountains and echoes, and does not want to fit in with local kids, and Romas, a boy also on vacation, who does Based on the Mykolas Sluckis’ novel, the film tells the story of a dramatic want to fit in, but cannot. The boy becomes her confidant and their and painful reality of the post-war Lithuania. Starting with young couple friendship blossoms, but then she is harassed by bullies and the boy walking in ruins of oldtown, action moves in the village Žvirbliūnai. doesn’t muster up courage to stand to her, which ruins their relationship Ramunės Indriūnaitės family is in tense situation – Ramunė’s father Petras forever. is hiding her brother from partisans and from Soviet militia. Young writer Jaunius follows Ramunė to her hometown, what he finds there disturbs him deeply. Raimondas Vabalas creates multi-layered characters and conveys 1965 – Special Prize of the Jury of the XVIII Locarno International Film Festival atmosphere full of fear and disappointment. “Majority’s Silver Sail” 1965 – Grand Prize at the 6th Cannes International Youth Film Festival 1965 – Prize for Directing and Cinematography and Set Design at V Baltic, 1967 – “Great Amber” prize at VIII Baltic, Belarus and Moldova Film Festival Belarus and Moldova Film Festiv * Photo from the archive of The Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum * Photo from the archive of The Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum

8 9 1966 1968

NOBODY WANTED TO DIE FEELINGS Niekas nenorėjo mirti Jausmai

Directed by Vytautas Žalakevičius Directed by Algirdas Dausa, Almantas Grikevičius 107’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 90’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English, French, Polish Subtitles: English, French, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian Genre: Drama Genre: Drama

Written by Vytautas Žalakevičius Written by Vytautas Žalakevičius Cinematography by Jonas Gricius Cinematography by Jonas Tomaševičius Music by Algimantas Apanavičius Music by Vytautas Barkauskas Cast: Kazimieras Vitkus, , , Bruno Cast: Regimantas Adomaitis, Juozas Budraitis, Regina Paliukaitytė, Eugenija Oja, Donatas Banionis, Algimantas Masiulis, Vija Artmanė, Eugenija Šulgaitė Bajorytė, Bronius Babkauskas, Laimonas Noreika, Algimantas Masiulis

Dramatic post-war situation in a small Lithuanian village community, whose Film, based on a story by Latvian novelist Egons Līvs, focuses on the members are divided: some support the Soviet government while others back resolve of a human being and the whole Lithuanian nation in the face of the partisans fighting against the new regime. The film shows each character’s cataclysmic events to find the time and room for simple emotions. Film desire to survive and secure safe and peaceful life. It is a story of revenge: the depicts a chaotic period through the relationship of the two brothers, head of the village council is killed by partisans and his sons decide to seek one dedicated to his family and conscience; the other dedicated to a justice. It is also about those who do not want to die: about lay people, who find political ideal. These divided brothers can be read as a representation of a themselves in a terrible fight for survival and have to choose whose side to take. country torn in two, of a history rudely divided. Lithuania has a history of occupation and the struggle to survive is as much personal as it is cultural. 1966 – “Great Amber” prize at VI Baltic, Belarus and Moldova Film Festival 1966 – Prize (III place) for the best male role for Donatas Banionis at XV 1969 – Best Cinematography Award at the 10th Baltic, Belarus and Moldavia International Karlovy Vary Festival Film Festival in Minsk 1966 – Best Script Prize (for. V. Žalakevičius) and Best Male Actor Prize (for D. 1975 – Special Jury Prize at San Remo International Film Festival Banionis) at the Union Film Festival in Kiev 1995 – Picked the Best Lithuanian film of all times by film critics * Photo from the archive of The Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum 10 11 1969 1971

THE BEAUTY THE SMALL CONFESSION Gražuolė Maža išpažintis

Directed by Arūnas Žebriūnas Directed by Algirdas Araminas 66’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 83’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian French Distributor: Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English, French, Polish ED Distribution / [email protected] Subtitles: English, French Genre: Drama Genre: Drama

Written by Jurijus Jakovlevas Written by , Algirdas Araminas Cinematography by Algimantas Mockus Cinematography by Donatas Pečiūra Music by Viačeslavas Ganelinas Music by Algimantas Apanavičius Cast: Inga Mickytė, Lilija Žadeikytė, Sergejus Martinsonas, Arvydas Cast: Andrius Karka, Gediminas Karka, Rūta Staliliūnaitė, Vytautas Samukas, Tauras Ragalevičius, Vladas Jurkūnas, Gediminas Girdvainis, Kaminskas, , Monika Mironaitė, Vaiva Mainelytė, Auksė Kokštaitė, Vaiva Ragauskaitė, Vaidevutis Mickys Juozas Budraitis

Neighbourhood children play a game: one of the kids dances in the centre Arūnas, an 18 year old high-school graduate from the port town, is going of the circle while the others shower him or her with compliments. A little through a crisis. He is stressed by the school routine. At home, his father girl, Inga, who lives with her single mother, is friendly and honest. She bores Arūnas with his constant recollections about fighting in an antifascist usually receives a lot of compliments and is therefore considered a beauty. guerrilla squad, while his mother unexpectedly turns back to her old dream Everything changes when a new boy moves into the neighbourhood. Being of becoming an artist and decides to leave the house, taking her younger rude, he does not fit in and soon earns himself the nickname Mute. He does son Saulius with her. His father ends up in hospital, because of a grenade not like Inga’s freckles and calls her ugly. Mute’s words hurt Inga deeply and fragment lodged. she sets out to look for attraction.

1970 – Best Cinematography Award at the All-Union Film Festival

12 13 1972 1974

NORTHERN CRUSADES THE DEVIL’S BRIDE Herkus Mantas Velnio nuotaka

Directed by Marijonas Giedrys Directed by Arūnas Žebriūnas 148’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 78’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English, French, Russian Subtitles: English, French, Russian, Ukrainian Genre: Period drama Genre: Musical

Written by Saulius Šaltenis Written by , Arūnas Žebriūnas Cinematography by Jonas Tomaševičius Cinematography by Algimantas Mockus Music by Giedrius Kuprevičius Music by Viačeslavas Ganelinas Cast: Antanas Šurna, Eugenija Pleškytė, Algimantas Masiulis, Stasys Cast: Vaiva Mainelytė, Regimantas Adomaitis, Gediminas Girdvainis, Petronaitis, Gediminas Karka, Pranas Piaulokas, Aleksandras Vokačius Vasilijus Simčičius, Regina Varnaitė, Bronius Babkauskas, Juozas Meškauskas, Regina Arbačiauskaitė, Danutė Krištopaitytė, Jonas Pakulis Historical costume drama about the medieval wars of Old Prussians and Teutonic Crusaders. Hercus Monte (Latin: Henricus Montemin, German: “This is one of the most successful and unique Lithuanian films. By choosing Heinrich Monte, Lithuanian: Herkus Mantas) was the most famous leader the form of a musical or a rock opera the author remained in touch with the of the Old Prussians during the Northern Crusades. This film is based on book, but at the same time created an original work of cinematography. his biography. Vivid and expressive although boldly modernised spectacle driven by catchy music composed by Ganelinas was made in a funny and relaxed manner. The Devil’s Bride is busting the myth about the grim nature of * Photo from the archive of The Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum the Lithuanians. It strikes with cheerful dynamics and remains an exclusive example of Lithuanian cinematography.” Film critic Saulius Macaitis

* Photo from the archive of The Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum

14 15 1974 1978

SADUTO TUTO WALNUT BREAD Sadūto tūto Riešutų duona

Directed by Almantas Grikevičius Directed by Arūnas Žebriūnas 78’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 66’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English, French Subtitles: English Genre: Drama Genre: Drama

Written by Vytautas Žalakevičius Written by Saulius Šaltenis Cinematography by Donatas Pečiūra Cinematography by Algimantas Mockus Music by Viačeslavas Ganelinas Music by Viačeslavas Ganelinas Cast: Juozas Budraitis, Regimantas Adomaitis, Eugenija Pleškytė, Nijolė Cast: Algirdas Latėnas, Elvyra Piškinaitė, Saulius Sipaitis, Doloresa Lepeškaitė, Bronius Babkauskas, Algis Žaliaduonis, Aurimas Babkauskas Kazragytė, Kristina Kazlauskaitė, Antanas Šurna, Vladas Bagdonas

Petras Minkus, a gifted but unsuccessful sculptor, is struggling to make ends Andrius and Liuka, offspring of Šatai and Kaminskai families living in a meet by casual employment. Together with his childhood friend Povilas countryside, falls in love with each other, however their love is disrupted by… Baibokas he travels to the country, not just to make some money, but also a cow. When a cow, who was sold to Kaminskai by Šatai, dies two families hoping for a career breakthrough. start to fight with each other. Andrius and Liuka’s relationship becomes a forbidden affair. In the hope of reconciliation between two families, Andrius promises to Liuka to buy a new cow, but everything goes even worse.

16 17 1980 1981

FACT SUMMER ENDS IN FALL Faktas Vasara baigiasi rudenį

Directed by Almantas Grikevičius Directed by Gytis Lukšas 96’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 90’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English, French, Russian Subtitles: English Genre: Historical drama Genre: Drama

Written by Vytautas Žalakevičius Written by Cinematography by Donatas Pečiūra Cinematography by Rimantas Juodvalkis Cast: Algimantas Masiulis, Irena Marija Leonavičiūtė, Saulius Balandis, Music by Bronius Kutavičius Juozas Budraitis, Donatas Banionis, Doloresa Kazragytė, Vaiva Cast: Vaiva Mainelytė, Valentinas Masalskis, Algimantas Masiulis, Justina Mainelytė, Regimantas Adomaitis Širvinskaitė

Facts is a dramatization of a massacre in a Lithuanian village during A story about a father who just returned from prison and his son, both World War II when Nazis rounded up over 100 men, women, and trying to win the favour of a young widow. Three lonely people are living children accused of partisan activity and then torched the houses in under the same roof, and every one of them longs for human warmth. which they were held. Using Russian interrogations of a few survivors, the testimony of villagers, and some of the Germans responsible for the 1983 – Prize for the Best Actors Ensemble at the 16th Union Film Festival in killing, the film gradually reconstructs the event and its context. Leningrad. *Photo from the archive of The Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum 1981 – Best Supporting Actress Award (for Elena Solovey) at he Cannes Film Festival Winner

18 19 1983 1983

FLIGHT OVER THE ATLANTIC WOMAN AND HER FOUR MEN Skrydis per Atlantą Moteris ir keturi jos vyrai

Directed by Raimondas Vabalas Directed by Algimantas Puipa 100’ / Lithuanian Film Studio 91’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English, French, Polish Subtitles: English Genre: Historical drama Genre: Drama

Written by Raimondas Vabalas, Juozas Glinskis Written by Algimantas Puipa Cinematography by Jonas Tomaševičius Cinematography by Jonas Tomaševičius Music by Bronius Kutavičius Music by Juozas Širvinskas Cast: Remigijus Sabulis, Eimuntas Nekrošius, Regimantas Adomaitis, Cast: Jūratė Onaitytė, Antanas Šurna, Vidas Petkevičius, Saulius Balandis, Eugenija Bajorytė, Juozas Budraitis, Povilas Gaidys, Gediminas Girdvainis, Povilas Gaidys, Valdemaras Jatautis, Kostas Smoriginas, Jonas Pakulis, Olita Valentinas Masalskis, Dautartaitė, Janina Lapinskaitė, Vytautas Paukštė, Edvardas Kunavičius

Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas are preparing for the A balladic story from a Baltic fisherman´s settlement set at the turn of legendary flight over the Atlantic Ocean in 1933. Their goal is to take off the 19th and 20th centuries. The film´s heroine loses one husband after from New York and land in Lithuanian capital of with their small another, but there´s always someone from her family to come and take single-engine plane “Lituanica”. The film reveals heroic persistence of two care of her children and her house. Lithuanians who are dreaming to see their homeland again and who are determined to fight for its honor by going on a dangerous 37 hours long 1984 – Prize (III place) for the Best Female Role (for Jūratė Onaitytė) at the XVII journey. Union Film Festival in Kiev

20 21 1988 1989

I NO LONGER REMEMBER YOUR OPEN THE DOOR TO HIM WHO FACE COMES Neatmenu tavo veido Atverti duris ateinančiam

Directed by Raimundas Banionis Directed by 81‘ / Lithuanian Film Studio 10’ / Lithuanian Film Studio

Original version: Lithuanian Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English Subtitles: English Genre: Drama Genre: Documentary

Written by Leonidas Jacinevičius Cinematography by Rimvydas Leipus Cinematography by Jonas Tomaševičius Sound engineer Viktoras Juzonis Music by Faustas Latėnas Cast: Ina Rosenaitė, Lukas Žilys, Dalia Melėnaitė, Linas Paugis, Eleonora The meditative landscape of a Lithuanian village filled with silent prayer. Tree Korzinaitė, Augustas Šavelis, Albinas Keleris, Vytautas Grigolis, Gabija crowns, church roots, and a rural homestead offer a silent sanctuary that Jaraminaitė (Ryškuvienė) withstands the pressures of the totalitarian regime. Stonys foreshadowed his cinematic liturgy of ordinariness with his directorial debut. Story about teenage love in sanatorium. Leta, a girl with a heart disease, wand Saulius, a new boy in sanatorium, fall in love with each other, but doctors try to forbid young people feelings.

1989 – Grand-prix Prize at the Moscow International Children’s Film Festival 1990 – Jury Prize at the International film festival Costa de Estoril

22 23 1990 1990

CHILDREN FROM THE HOTEL BALTIC WAY “AMERICA” Baltijos kelias Vaikai iš „Amerikos“ viešbučio Directed by Audrius Stonys, Arūnas Matelis 10’ / Lithuanian Film Studio Directed by Raimundas Banionis 89’ / Lithuanian Film Studio Original version: Lithuanian Subtitles: English Original version: Lithuanian Genre: Documentary Subtitles: English, French, Russian, Latvian, Polish, Georgian Genre: Drama Sound engineer Viktoras Juzonis

Written by Maciejus Drygas Cinematography by Jonas Tomaševičius Two million people held hands on August 23, 1989, forming a nearly Music by Faustas Latėnas 700-kilometer-long human chain that spooled out across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The peaceful protest against the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, Cast: Augustas Šavelis, Gabija Jaraminaitė, Jūratė Onaitytė, Jurga signed 50 years earlier, grew into a monumental gesture of expression of Kasčiukaitė, Gediminas Karka, Linas Paugis, , Giedrius moral strength by the occupied Baltic nations. Čaikauskas, Arūnas Sakalauskas, Gražina Balandytė

The film revolves around the lives of teenagers in Soviet Lithuania. The protagonists of the film are fans of rock’n’roll music which is banned in the USSR and are interested in the hippie movement, secretly listening to the Luxembourg radio. They all live in a house which was formerly a hotel, called “America”. Events of Kaunas’ spring affect them as they are involved. After their attempt to send a letter to the Luxembourg radio, teenagers would become suspects to the KGB.

1991 – Independent Lithuania’s first entry at the Berlinale Panorama section * Photo from the archive of The Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum 24 25 2020

26 www.lkc.lt