TWITTERING SOUL

It is the end of the 19th century. A summer day in the nature of Dzūkija. The storm is approaching. Lush forests and bushes are rustling with secrets. The owner of a manor, fascinated by the newest trend in photography, is viewing stereoscopic images. Next door, a maid is telling his daughter stories of witches and fairies. Meanwhile, two musicians are traveling to the village gathering, unable to discern reality from fantasy on their way. Upon arrival, instead of the feast, they are drawn into the ritual of an afterlife wedding.

The end of the 19th century was marked with a “feeling of the end of the world” and shifting attitudes. Political changes and technological novelties penetrated the communities, still having close bonds with their surroundings, nature, mythologies. Video and installation artist and film director Deimantas Narkevičius investigates history from the perspective of today and focuses on the feelings and imagination of the people of that time. In the first Lithuanian stereoscopic (3D) feature, he blends historical facts, folktales, rituals, and a deep sense of nature into a psychedelic fairytale of the times, when the path for today's world was set. Lithuanian nature comes alive in the stereoscopic view along with the soundtrack by Miša Skalskis, arousing imagination. Archaic attitudes here coexist with new technologies. What if that bond with nature had not weakened? Maybe we would be living in a far more harmonious world?

Lithuania, 2023, 70 min, 3D, Lithuanian, Polish

Director, screenwriter: Deimantas Narkevičius

Producer: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė

DOP: Eitvydas Doškus LAC

Editor: Danielius Kokanauskis

Composer: Miša Skalskis

Sound: Saulius Urbanavičius

Stereoscopic camera DOP: Mindaugas Survila

Stereoscope editor: Grigalius Grinčelaitis

Art director: Algirdas Garbačiauskas

Costume designer: Agnė Rimkutė

Cast: Augustė Šimulynaitė, Laima Akstinaitė, Greta Petrovskytė, Valentinas Krulikovskis, Aleksas Kazanavičius, Saulius Bareikis

Deimantas Narkevičius, is a video and installations artist, film director, professor and a winner of the Lithuanian National Prize. In his works he often reflects on personal histories, and explores the connections between the present and the past or visions of the future. DeiMantas Narkevičius’ works have been exhibited at 25 international art biennials, including Venice, São Paulo, Gwangju, and over 40 solo exhibitions at art institutions of international importance.

His works have been acquired and exhibited by dozens of art institutions and private collectors, including MoMA in New York, the Pompidou Centre in Paris, and the Tate Modern in London. Films by Narkevičius have been screened at 50 international film festivals. In 2018, the short film Stains and Scratches was awarded the main prize at the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival. The feature debut Twittering Soul premiered at the FIDMarseille festival in 2023.

Currently screening (with English subtitles): Forum Cinemas

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