Ten national premieres at Vilnius Short Film Festival: which one will be named best Lithuanian film in January?
The Vilnius Short Film Festival kickstarts the new film festival season for the 19th consecutive year, inviting short film lovers to cinemas and home screens. Once again, audiences will be treated to over a hundred films, divided into National, International Competitions as well as special themed programmes and events to celebrate cinema. This year’s National Competition will be comprised of 10 national premieres which will compete not only for the festival’s Grand Prix but also for an opportunity to qualify for both the Oscars and European Film Awards.
“Each year, we keep the Vilnius Short Film Festival relevant by showcasing what Lithuanian filmmakers have been working on lately. We are proud to have earned another prestigious qualification this year – that for the European Film Awards, something that is only shared by 30 festivals across Europe. This opens up even wider opportunities for Lithuanian filmmakers to take a step closer to a short film nomination at the leading European Film Awards. Today, in a period full of challenges for culture, we see an unprecedented unity among filmmakers and feel proud to be able to present a programme that reflects the realities of our times,” says Rimantė Daugėlaitė–Cegelskienė, Head of the festival.
Ten national premieres
Last year, the Vilnius Short Film Festival became an Oscar qualifying event, the first of its kind in Lithuania. In 2025, it was the first in Lithuania to become the qualifying festival for the European Film Awards. As a result, one of the films from the 19th edition’s competition programmes will be eligible for candidacy for the European Film Awards.
As every year, the most anticipated of the festival’s programmes is the National Competition, featuring ten of the most outstanding short films by Lithuanian filmmakers of recent years, one of which will be named the best Lithuanian short film by an experienced international jury, in addition to competing for the festival’s Grand Prix.
“We are thrilled to see that the number of submissions for the National Competition grows each year – and this year has been no exception. We received a record number of films, which posed a challenge to our programmers to select the best works. We are happy with the proactiveness of the filmmakers and the diversity of films. Alongside upcoming directors, we have some experienced ones who had their world premieres at prestigious film festivals abroad. And now it’s time to present these new works to our local audiences. All the films in National Competition will be screened for the first time in Lithuania!” says Gabrielė Cegialytė, the festival’s Managing Director.
The films for the National Competition were selected by the festival’s long time programmers: director, writer and educator Andrius Blaževičius, film critic and journalist Ieva Šukytė and film scholar and curator Mantė Valiūnaitė.
The Vilnius Short Film Festival continues to focus on accessibility, therefore the films at the Opening Ceremony will be screened with special subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH). In addition, both SDH and audio description for the visually impaired will be provided for the National Competition screenings in Vilnius as well as other towns. Following the screenings in Vilnius, Q&A’s with the filmmakers of the National Competition films will be interpreted to sign language.
Focus on inner worlds in Lithuanian films
The National Competition Programme I presents five Lithuanian productions. Some of their protagonists run away from themselves, others search for identity and belonging. In addition to local stories, the programme features ties to Ukraine and Germany, as well as an opportunity to get a rooftop view of Vilnius. While different in style and tone, the films are united by the effort of their makers to delve deep into the characters and stories.
The programme begins with Hologram by Severina Vaičiūnaitė, a portrait of a young, carefree person in the search of self. Sofija, longing for connection, meets Adomas during a night out in Vilnius and they search for closeness without saying too much.
In Present Continuous by Goda Januškevičiūtė, a burned-out activist, Noja, shelters a Ukrainian refugee, Yulia. As they try to make sense of the everyday life, Yulia loses touch with her boyfriend at war and one night in Ukraine under shelling changes their lives forever.
The programme continues with Alike by Adas Burkšaitis, a story of a young actress, who, after landing a role, faces an unusual request from the director that blurs the line between art and submission.
In documentary City Above by Kristina Savickaitė, four friends, seeking a sense of freedom and a break from everyday chaos, wander through places in Vilnius Old Town that most people never see. Together, they discover a hidden part of the city where they seem to become invisible, the world feels calmer, and their bond grows stronger.
Rounding up the National Competition Programme I is Signal Path by Eglė Razumaitė, a story balancing documentary and fiction of Liepa who moves with her daughter to Germany in search of a fresh start, but soon must confront her family’s disapproval and the challenges of metropolitan life.
Forever relevant interpersonal relationships
The National Competition Programme II presents five more national premieres of Lithuanian films. A relaxed evening conversation in the company of insects, the dynamics of couple relationships, and drug addicts – this national programme covers a pretty wide range of topics. Although the films seem different at first glance, they share a common theme of relationship dynamics, whether romantic, supportive, or testing the bonds of teenage friendship.
The programme begins with Liump! Heuriger by Laurynas Skeisgiela, a documentary bringing together a traditional Austrian pop-up wine tavern and a moth-watching set. The idea of inviting both people and insects to the same table is appealing for its simplicity, its naivety, and its likely failure.
Whirpool by Linas Žiūra is an engaging story of Jonas and his girlfriend, Nina, who travel to a remote log house owned by a film director, where they are supposed to shoot a film. As they spend time together, the boundaries between work and personal life melt; they cook, dance, go to the sauna, and prepare for the film simultaneously. Jonas feels increasingly left out as Nina grows closer to the director. Tension rises as unexpressed feelings begin to drive the protagonists apart.
The programme continues with documentary After Fentanyl by Rinaldas Tomaševičius. Fentanyl, the most popular street drug in Vilnius, is merciless to anyone who tries it. The director attempts a noble mission. He discovers a group of drug addicts roaming the streets and begins to visit them consistently, with a vision to save at least one of them, even though they all have HIV, hepatitis and other diseases.
Loving by Vesta Tučkutė invites us into a story of a couple’s relationship. Adela and Benas fall in love over the summer, but their lives pull them apart.
Last but not least is Girls Don’t Breathe by Melita Sinušaitė, a story of a shy eighth-grader who comes across an older girl posing naked in an abandoned building. A new friendship offers her a glimpse to the intriguing world of adulthood.
Vilnius Short Film Festival features numerous surprising, engaging films that are sure to give a burst of colour to the drab month of January. Full programme coming soon.
The 19th edition of Vilnius Short Film Festival will take place on 21-27 January 2026 in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, and Panevėžys cinemas and on Žmonės Cinema and LRT Epika home cinema platforms.
More info and updated programme at: www.filmshorts.lt
The festival is organised by the Lithuanian short film agency Lithuanian Shorts. Partial sponsors: Lithuanian Film Centre, Vilnius City Municipality, Creative Europe MEDIA. Institutional partners: Audiovisual works copyright association AVAKA, Goethe-Institut Lithuania, Sweden–Lithuania Cooperation Fund, LATGA Association. Main media