Editor

With it’s start on the 18th of March, Vilnius international film festival catches it’s pace and presents 13 Lithuanian film premiers.
Bruno Chatelin will be heading to Vilnius to moderate the Film Festival Forum and will be reporting on fest21.com/en/blog/editor

Mantas Kvedaravicius’ “Barzakh” – a film debuted in Berlinale 2011, the winner of “Amnesty international” prize – having it’s premier in Lithuania during Vilnius International film festival. The first screening was a sold-out and followed by emotional discussion between the audience and the author.

The second film from the Berlin International Film Festival programme “Panorama” - is the Lithuanian filmmakers’ Romas Zabarauskas drama “Porno melodrama”. The director speaks freely about the life of homosexuals in Lithuania, which is, in the director’s own words, famously homophobic.

Vilnius international film festival pays tribute to another two Lithuanian film makers, who are acknowledged in the film industry internationally.
The special screenings are dedicated to Lithuanian director Jonas Mekas, who is considered one of the most important representatives of US avant-garde cinema. His new movie “Sleepless nights stories” was presented in Berlinale this year also. For two hours we stroll with Jonas Mekas through New York nights, through apartments, studios, backstage rooms, galleries, bars and clubs. We meet old acquaintances like Ken and Flo Jacobs, Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Bjork and others. More http://www.kinopavasaris.lt/en/film.php?id=1299015463
Another screening dedicated to Jonas Mekas - Oscar winning director Chuck Workman film “Visionaries” - speaks about Anthology film Archives, that Jonas Mekas founded. More about the movie: http://www.kinopavasaris.lt/en/film.php?id=1299015708
We pay tribute to another Lithuanian director Sarunas Bartas. His films were screened more in the international festivals than at home, director was recognized more outside the country than in the country. Therefore this year Vilnius international film festival pay tribute to this master of slow cinema. 8 films out of 10 will be screened in Sarunas Bartas retrospective.
Other premier films are mentioned in the press release attached.