Edinburgh Short Film Festival spotlights Vilnius Short Film Festival with a special focus programme
Vilnius Short Film Festival is set to present a special focus programme at the Edinburgh Short Film Festival, taking place November 7-16th. The programme “Festivals’ Darlings” brings together six Lithuanian short films made in recent years that offer bold, emotionally resonant stories captivating audiences worldwide. The screening will take place on Friday, 7th November at 8:30 PM in Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Lithuanian delegation will be attending the festival to present the films. This is the first time Vilnius Short Film Festival is spotlighted at a Scottish film festival.
“Festivals’ Darlings” programme explores themes of identity, memory, and societal pressure with originality and emotional depth. Audiences will get to experience intimate family dramas, fresh takes on coming-of-age stories, and delve deeper into the experimental animation. Films included in the programme: “Cherries” (dir. Vytautas Katkus), “Left-Handed Pen” (dir. Adas Burkšaitis), “The Juggler” (dir. Skirmanta Jakaitė), “Dummy” (dir. Laurynas Bareiša), “The One Who Knows” (dir. Eglė Davidavičė) and “Techno, Mama” (dir. Saulius Baradinskas). Festival managing director Gabrielė Cegialytė, animation directors Skirmanta Jakaitė and Eglė Davidavičė will be present at the festival to meet the audience and introduce the programme.
The programme celebrates a new wave of Lithuanian filmmakers who have received both national and international success by being recognised by top festivals like Cannes, Venice, Berlinale, DOK Leipzig, Oberhausen, and Kyiv IFF. All films were screened at the Vilnius Short Film Festival National competitions in recent years.
Edinburgh Short Film Festival (ESFF) evolved from the Leith Short Film Festival in 2011. Ever since then, the festival has been hosting filmmakers and promoting short films from across the globe and is known to have one of the UK’s strongest short film programmes. ESFF is also involved in promoting short films by organising special screenings, Q&A’s with filmmakers and collaborating with other film festivals abroad.
More about the films in the programme:
Uogos / Cherries
Director Vytautas Katkus
Lithuania, 2022, Fiction, 15 min.
A hot summer day. Cherry branches weighed down by ripe berries are dangling over the roof of a summer house. Recently retired father invites his son to help him with the cherry picking in the garden. The father is in no hurry to finish the cherry job, though, as he tries to catch up with his son. The cherries remain in the background.
World premiere at Cannes Film Festival (short film competition) 2022; shortlisted for European Film Awards 2022.
Tušinukas / Left-Handed Pen
Director Adas Burkšaitis
Lithuania, 2024, Fiction, 18 min.
Sunny summer day at a suburban school. A schoolteacher finds out that her son’s poorly written exam may jeopardise his dream of attending a prestigious university abroad. The film explores the sacrifices a mother is willing to make to secure her child’s success, raising questions about ethics and the pressures of education.
World premiere at Kyiv International Short Film Festival 2024; awarded as the Best Short Film at the Lithuanian Film Awards “Silver Crane” 2024; short film candidate for European Film Awards 2026.
Žonglierius / The Juggler
Director Skirmanta Jakaitė
France/Lithuania, 2018, Animation, 11 min.
We live in the same house, but in different apartments, jobs, situations, beliefs, visions; each one in our own compartment, fooling ourselves that the world is one, and that it exists. Although sometimes it seems that the incomprehensible thread has almost been caught, and I am on the verge of understanding.
World premiere at DOK Leipzig 2018; awarded as the Best Animated Film at the Lithuanian Film Awards “Silver Crane” 2020.
Atkūrimas / Dummy
Director Laurynas Bareiša
Lithuania, 2020, Fiction, 13 min.
Using a faceless doll, a criminal re-enacts a brutal crime. But surprisingly, he is not the one being judged. There seems to be an odd one out in the investigative group.
World premiere at Berlinale Shorts 2020.
Ta, kuri žino / The One Who Knows
Director Eglė Davidavičė
France/Lithuania, 2024, Animation, 12 min.
Ūla is an introverted and anxious teenager who likes swimming. One ordinary morning at swimming practice, she is taken on an unexpected adventure, through which she grows up, learns to accept herself and to see her body anew.
World premiere at Oberhausen International Short Film Festival 2024; awarded as the Best Animated Film at the Lithuanian Film Awards “Silver Crane” 2024.
Techno, Mama
Director Saulius Baradinskas
Lithuania, 2021, Fiction, 18 min.
Nikita loves to listen to techno music and dreams of going to Berlin and visiting the famous club “Berghain”. His mother Irena doesn’t know about his son’s dreams, and soon enough, their mutual expectations will clash.
World premiere at Venice Film Festival 2021; film was nominated for European Film Awards 2022 in the Best Short Film category; awarded as the Best Short Film at the Lithuanian Film Awards “Silver Crane” 2022.