Lithuanian Films in Well-Known Documentary Film Festivals

Lithuanian Film Centre has granted financial support of 7130 LTL for two projects of film promotion abroad. Financial support of 6000 LTL was granted for the world première of documentary film “Final Destination” (Lith. “Galutinis tikslas”) directed by Ričardas Marcinkus (production company UAB “Full Screen”), at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).  Financial support of 1130 LTL was granted for the world premiere of documentary film “Dinner” (Lith. Pietūs Lipovkėje”) directed by Linas Mikuta (production company “Monoklis”) at the International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (Dok Leipzig).

Ričardas Marcinkus’ debut documentary film “Final Destination” is one of 15 films selected for the program of IDFA Competition for Student Documentary.  310 candidates have applied to be included into this program. “Final Destination” is the candidate for the festival awards as the Best Documentary and Audience Special Award.

The world premiere of the film “Dinner” will take place at the International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film. The 26th International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam will take place between 21 November and 1 December. The last Lithuanian film presented at the competition program of this festival, was “Uku ukai” (Lith. “Ūkų ūkai”) by Andrius Stonys (2006), and previously – “Before Flying Back to the Earth” (Lith. “Prieš parskrendant į žemę”) by Arūnas Matelis (2005).  

The 56th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film will take place 28 October – 3 November. The main program of this year's festival also includes Reda Tomingas’ animated film “Guilt” (Lith. “Kaltė”). 

Last year, the premiere of Lithuanian film “Lisa, Go Home!” (Lith. “Liza, namo!”) took place at the competition program of Dok Leipzig. Previously in Leipzig, the main “Golden Dove” award had been given to “Before Flying Back to the Earth” by Arūnas Matelis, while the film “Illusions” (Lith. “Iliuzijos”) directed by Diana and Kornelijus Matuzevičius was given the “Media Award”. In 2006, this festival featured a wide retrospective of Lithuanian documentaries and animation – films directed by A. Matelis, Janina Lapinskaitė, Rimantas Gruodis, Valdas Navasaitis, Henrikas Šablevičius, Audrius Stonys, O. Buraja, Jūratė Leikaitė, Antanas Janauskas, Aurika and Algirdas Selenis.