Presentation of Arūnas Žebriūnas’ restored films and LMTA KIMO at the Belfort Film Festival “Entrevues” (France)
On 21-25 November, LMTA National Film School (KIMO) third-year students Eglė Navickaitė, Gabrielė Česevičiūtė, Samanta Molevičiūtė and Urtė-Marija Praniauskaitė, and fourth-year student Simas Narušis took part in the 39th Belfort Film Festival “Entrevues” in France. The students of Film Dramaturgy and Film History and Criticism were accompanied by film industry professionals, lecturers Rasa Paukštytė and Aistė Račaitytė.
During their stay, the students introduced the festival audience to the work of director Arūnas Žebriūnas and three of his films restored at the Lithuanian Film Centre – Gražuolė (Beautiful), Last Day of the Holiday (The Last Day of the Holiday) and Naktibalda (Nightingale). These screenings were part of the Lithuanian Season in France 2024. Žebriūnas’ works have been praised for their unique style of poetic cinema and sensitive narratives that have inspired several generations of filmmakers. During the presentation, students shared their insights into Žebriūnas’ work, revealing the films’ relevance in today’s context and opening a dialogue with the festival’s young audience. Young viewers from the local community of Belphor made up the largest part of the audience of these films.
Together with the films, the delegation presented KIMO, the National Film School of the LMTA, to the festival audience. The exceptional innovative study programmes focused on the training of professionals in the contemporary film and media industry, opportunities for creative development and integration into the international film community were highlighted. The KIMO presentation was an important platform to promote this innovative institution, which is a significant step in the development of cinema in the Baltic region.
In addition to the official film and school presentations, the students had the opportunity to actively participate in the festival’s activities: they delved into the repertoire, discussions and film trends, and watched the closing ceremony and the award ceremony.
This experience was a valuable professional step for students studying film criticism and dramaturgy, as well as proof that Lithuanian cinema and LMTA KIMO are part of the international film community. The festival provided an excellent platform to showcase Lithuania’s film heritage, strengthen the links between Lithuanian filmmakers and foreign audiences and inspire new creative initiatives.
Prepared by Simas Narušis, fourth-year student at LMTA KIMO
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