A Lithuanian film, “The Balcony”, will close the 7th Children’s and Youth Film Festival “Michel”

After its success at the 32^nd LUCAS film festival that took place in Frankfurt in September, a feature film by Giedrė Beinoriūtė, The Balcony, continues its international journey. At the beginning of October, this work by the Lithuanian director will be presented at the competition programme of the 7^th Children’s and Youth Film Festival “Michel” () which features eight full-length films. The Children’s and Youth Film Festival “Michel” established by the Filmfest Hamburg in 2003 is successful, valued and liked by young and professional audiences.

On 3October, the prize founded by Universal Pictures Germany will be awarded to the best film for children and youth selected by a competent jury. As it is customary in festivals of films for children and youth, the jury consists of children. The jury of the Filmfest Hamburg consists of seven eleven to fourteen-year-old film experts.  

The Balcony will be screened in Hamburg to close the festival, on the 3^rd of October. The director Giedrė Beinoriūtė will present the film and interact with the audience.

“Festivals really are a new life for films. Meeting new audiences, hearing their reactions, comments and discussions is of utmost importance to a film,” Beinoriūtė says. “A film that is not shown anywhere is an unfinished film. During the LUCAS festival the young German audience asked whether kvas [a bread drink – translator’s note] was an alcoholic drink and what sort of game was ‘secrets’. I wonder what questions I will hear in Hamburg ,” the director smiles.

The film’s tour around will not end in Hamburg . On 4 – 8 November the film will travel to the 51^st Nordic Film Days in Lübeck where it will be presented at the competition programme of films for children and youth.

The Balcony, a feature film by Giedrė Beinoriūtė that premiered on the big screen on 18 October 2008, was awarded a Silver Crane for Best Short Film at the Lithuanian Film Awards in 2009. It also won the Lithuanian Film of the Year Award at the Lithuanian Film Distributors’ Awards “Kino juosta” in 2008. The young actress Elzbieta Degutytė starring in the film won the title of the best newcomer to cinema by the Pravda’2008 Awards.