Vortex by Gytis Lukšas at the New Europe Film Festival in Edinburgh
22 April, 2010. New Europe Film Festival is back for the 3rd time for the annual portion of film novelties from East and Central Europe, including the film by the Lithuanian director Gytis Lukšas Vortex (2009). An adaptation of the Romualdas Granauskas novel Duburys (Vortex, 2003) with the screenplay by Gytis Lukšas, Vortex is an exquisite black-and-white chronicle of a young man’s shifting relationships as he adjusts rather dramatically to the unfamiliarity of freedom. Structured in chapters, the tale sports a gentle gravity that’s winning, not least in Viktoras Radzevičius’ luminous lensing. Vortex is the first telling of the story about the way the Soviet times affected a human’s soul and body. The screening at the festival is organized in collaboration with the Lithuanian Embassy in London.
Dennis Harvey has written about the film in the Variety: "It's a compliment to say the Lithuanian period drama "Vortex" might be mistaken for a Soviet-bloc feature of 40-50 years ago -- its austere black-and-white beauty, deliberate pace and tender solemnity are of a piece with works from a great period in world cinema. The difference is that during the 1960s, such exercises stood some chance of offshore theatrical exposure, while now they're strictly fest fare -- and not even fashionably so. Nevertheless, Gytis Luksas' fine adaptation of Viktoras Radzevicius' 2003 novel merits attention from programmers and niche buyers.
His father killed returning from WWI, and a teenage best friend drowned in another accident, Juzik (Giedrius Kiela) nonetheless reaches adulthood with his country innocence and good faith intact. After military service, he works in a corrupt quarry where he becomes involved with two self-destructive women: boozing, promiscuous Klara (Jevgenija Varencia); and insecure, much-victimized Maska (Oksana Borbat). Periodically, Juzik returns home to visit his lonely, aging mother (Jurate Onaityte)."
Vortex was Lithuania’s official submission to the Foreign Language category at the Academy Awards® and winner of three Lithuanian film industry Sidabrinė gervė (Silver Crane) awards for the outstanding performances of its talented trio of actors: Oksana Borbat (Best Actress); Vladimiras Jefremovas (Best Supporting Actor); and Jūratė Onaitytė (Best Supporting Actress).
Duburys / Vortex
2009, 142 min., black and white, Studija 2
Director: Gytis Lukšas | Cinematographer: Viktoras Radzevičius | Sound directors: Jonas Maksvytis, Kipras Mašanauskas, Romualdas Fedaravičius | Production designer: Augis Kepežinskas | Editing: Ričardas Matačius | Producers: Kęstutis Petrulis, Arūnas Stoškus | Cast: Giedrius Kiela, Diana Anevičiūtė, Oksana Borbat, Jevgenija Verenica, Vladimiras Jefremovas, Jūratė Onaitytė, Valentinas Masalskis, Valentinas Novopolskis, Eglė Mikulionytė, Darius Meškauskas
22 April, 2010. Edinburgh Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9BZ, tel. 0131 228 2688
www.filmhousecinema.com
