"The pandemic has not only constrained the cultural field, but also negatively affected the attitude towards professional life. We face fatigue and indifference, that sometimes turn into universal apathy. I am glad that the young filmmakers did not succumb to these temptations and proved the viability of talent in all circumstances. This year's short film competition New Baltic Cinema reveals that their relationship with the world is sensitively and imaginatively transferred into the creative space, enriching it with new themes and artistic solutions," says Gražina Arlickaitė, the festival's founder and artistic director.
The registration was open for filmmakers from nine Baltic Sea Region countries: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Russia.
The submissions have been selected and the programme compiled by the panel consisting of film critic Neringa Kažukauskaitė, producer Andrėja Čebatavičiūtė, director Elvina Nevardauskaitė and Jana Mikulevič, Head of the Film Distribution, Information and Heritage Department of the Lithuanian Film Center.
"As a part of the panel, you get a chance to see the youth that is taking up filmmaking, and get an idea of what European cinema is going to be like tomorrow. And for them, these short films are an opportunity to try themselves out and see if they really want to work in film,” says N. Kažukauskaitė.
The films of the programme will be judged by a competent international jury during the festival, which will select and announce the best film of the programme as a whole and the best Lithuanian film. The makers of the short films will be eligible for cash prizes totalling € 8,000. The award for the best film of the whole program was established by the European Film Forum Scanorama, and for the best Lithuanian film by the Lithuanian Film Center.
This year's jury of New Baltic Cinema will be chaired by Gyda Velvin Myklebust (Norway), Head of New Nordic Films, one of the top Scandinavian film fairs. She will be assisted by Nanako Tsukidate (France, Japan), film critic, short film programmer at the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals and film journalist, as well as film director and producer Alina Gorlova (Ukraine).
"Discovering and supporting new talent and young filmmakers is an exciting and enriching experience for film industry professionals. It is a great honour for me to be invited to chair the jury of the New Baltic Cinema short film competition. I look forward to seeing all the films in the programme and choosing the winners together with my colleagues,” says G. Myklebust.
Four works by Lithuanian directors were selected for the competition: Alizava (dir. Andrius Žemaitis), Techno, Mama (dir. Saulius Baradinskas), Blue Moon (dir. Vytautas Kazlauskas) and I Sold My Classmate (dir. Gantas Bendikas).
The jury will award
a € 5,000 prize for the best film in the entire program (established by the European Film Forum Scanorama),
a € 3000 prize for the best film by a Lithuanian director (established by the Lithuanian Film Center).
This year the European Film Forum „Scanorama“ will take place in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda and Šiauliai on November 4–14.
