2005 /

Before Flying Back To The Earth

52 min.  –  Documentary  –  52 min., video, color, TagTraum, Nominum, ZDF, arte  –  2005
Director : Arūnas Matelis
Cinematographer : Audrius Kemežys
Sound director : Viktoras Juzonis, Arūnas Matelis, Kipras Mašanauskas, Jonas Maksvytis
Editing director : Katharina Schmidt
Producer : Gerd Haag, Arūnas Matelis
Assistant to director : Giedrė Beinoriūtė

  How comes life in a hospital ward for children with leukemia is full of games, joy and chatter? How do these little patients manage to go about their busy lives, when there is but little hope? Having family experience at the Vilnius paediatric hospital ffilmmaker Arunas Matelis returns to the ward to create a film full of life and magic moments in the face of  nonexistence .

The cinematic style delivers a strong emotional impact without being sentimental. The film „Before Flying Back to the Earth“ is  about fate and fighting for life. 

“A testament to the power of documentary storytelling.” – jury statement, Golden Dove 2005 (unanimously awarded)

“Every detail is carefully chosen, composed and edited, constituting a great poetic work, full of emotion, love and respect.” – DOX Magazine