Vilnius Short Film Festival winners announced

Sunday evening, Vilnius Short Film Festival held its awards ceremony where an international jury announced the best films of the festival’s 19th edition. This year’s competition featured 42 short films from over 30 countries, including 10 works by Lithuanian filmmakers. On 25-27 January, the festival’s repertoire will be complemented by a special programme, Festival Winners, consisting exclusively of the festival’s award-winning films, to be screened in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, and Panevėžys cinemas.

Like every year, the Competition programmes have been reviewed by the international jury, which announced the winners on Sunday evening, selecting the best films of the International and National Competition, and awarding one film with the festival’s Grand Prix. Additionally, one film from both the National and International Competition received Special Jury Mentions, and one Lithuanian film received a Short Film Critics’ Special Mention. As a novelty this year, one film won the EFA nomination for the European Short Film.

The films were assessed by a competent jury with vast experience in the film industry: Riina Mikkonen (Finland), executive director and programmer at Tampere Film Festival; Tara Karajica (Serbia), film critic as well as Live Action Shorts Programmer and Head of the Industry Program at PÖFF Shorts; and Vytautas Katkus (Lithuania), internationally acclaimed cinematographer and film director.

Vilnius Short Film Festival winners

The VSFF Grand Prix was awarded to Skin Despair (dir. Mireia Vilapuig).

“The Grand Prix of the 19th Vilnius Short Film Festival goes to a film that poignantly and truthfully portrays the angst and confusion of growing up and everything that our adolescent selves choose to forget. This inventive coming-of-age documentary is a brave reconstruction of the past, a deeply emotional introspection and a timely reflection on the importance of collective memory”, said the jury presenting the top award.

Since VSFF is an Oscar qualifying festival, the winner of the Grand Prix will be elligible to compete for one of the world’s most prestigious Academy Awards.

Linas Žiūra’s Whirpool was named the Best National Film.

“For an immersive portrayal of a toxic environment and a persistent attempt to preserve emotions and relationships, ultimately leading toward light”, said the jury.

One film from the National Competition was also given the Jury’s Special Mention. It went to Loving by Vesta Tučkutė.

“It is very difficult to portray intimacy on the screen well and this film does it marvelously and honestly well. The Special Mention goes to “Loving,” a film with a lot of heart and honesty”, said the jury in the ceremony.

Another accolade, the Film Critics Special Mention went to City Above (dir. Kristina Savickaitė) from the National Competition.

The prize for Best International Film went to God Is Shy by Jocelyn Charles.

The prize for the Best International Film was established by the Vilnius City Municipality.

“This is a film where strong story and visuals go hand in hand. Within its creepy yet highly intriguing narrative, the viewers find themselves between many spaces: travel, nightmares, truth and the unreal”, said the jury members presenting the award.

The Jury’s Special Mention was awarded to Allrecipes (Stuffed Manifesto) (dir. David de Rozas) from the International Competition.

“The special mention goes to the true short film which embodies the absurdity of bureaucracy in a very playful but sharp way in 5 minutes. Every second counts”, said the jury in the Awards Ceramony.

The European Film Awards Candidacy to the European Short Film – Prix Vimeo category went to Memories Move Like Distant Islands by Saarlotta Virri.

“Here collective historical experience and grief coexist with playfulness. Folklore and science do not oppose one another, they unfold side by side. Through cinema language, real stories transform into dreams, and dreams in turn take on the weight of reality”, said the jury about the film.

God Is Shy, Whirpool, Skin Despair, and Memories Move Like Distant Islands will be screened as Festival Winners programme in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, and Panevėžys cinemas on 25–27 January.

Info, tickets and full programme at: www.filmshorts.lt

The 19th edition of the Vilnius Short Film Festival takes place on January 21–27 in Vilnius, Klaipėda, Kaunas, Šiauliai, and Panevėžys cinemas, as well as on ŽMONĖS Cinema home cinema platform and LRT Epika.

The festival is organised by Lithuanian Short Film Agency LITHUANIAN SHORTS. The festival is partially sponsored by: 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, Creative Europe Media Desk in Lithuania, Institut français de Lituanie. Partner: LRT Epika.