New Voices from Lithuania at the 77th International Cannes Film Festival

Today marks the start of the 77th International Cannes Film Festival and the concurrent “Marché du Film”, one of the most important film fairs in Europe, which brings together thousands of film industry professionals from around the world. 

This year, the Lithuanian film stand is operating at the “Marché du Film” fair for the fourteenth time, bringing together film industry representatives and allowing them to get acquainted with the Lithuanian film industry.

New Lithuanian talents in the Cannes Film Festival program

This festival, new Lithuanian talents will appear in two programs. The short film “Ootidė” by the director Eglė Razumaitė (prod. L. Lasiauskaitė) will compete in the main short film program for the prestigious “Short Film Palme d’or” prize. The film was selected from nearly 4.5 thousand short films from around the world. This is the second time in the history of Lithuanian cinema that a Lithuanian short film has been included in the official competitive program of the Cannes Film Festival.

In the special program “La Cinef”, dedicated to film schools, the film “Praeis” (prod. M. Macenavičius, J. Zhao) by the London Film School (LFS) graduate Dovydas Drakšas will be shown. This short film and “Ootidė” will have their world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival.

To add more, the short film “Juoda” (dir. and prod. A. Lukošiūnienė) will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival short film fair “Short Film Corner | Rendez-vous Industry”.

“Short Film Corner”, operating in the industrial part of the film fair, is designed to promote contacts between professionals who play an important role directly related to the direction, production, broadcasting or advertising of short films.

Professionals from Lithuania in international film programs

Lithuanian producer Giedrė Žickytė is part of the prestigious networking program for producers “Producers on the Move”.

This program aims to promote international co-production ties, intensify the exchange of experience and help create new professional networks. The 20 most promising producers will meet personally during the international Cannes Film Festival from May 16 to 20 and participate in a five-day program.

In the “Goes to Cannes” program of the International Tallinn Film Festival “Black Nights”, taking place during “Marché du Film”, the film “Activist” (prod. R. Zabarauskas, G. Elliott, G. Misevičiūtė) by director Romas Zabarauskas will be presented.

During the film fair, there will also be an event dedicated to the international film industry, during which the Lithuanian Film Center will present film financing opportunities in Lithuania.

Cinema Highlights of the Lithuanian Season in France

On May 19, during “Marché du Film”, the program of film events of the Lithuanian season in France will be presented. The presentation “(Re)discovering Lithuanian Cinema” will be accompanied by a discussion with members of the Lithuanian film community and project implementers.

The Lithuanian presentation at the fair is organized and financed by the Lithuanian Film Center.