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    • NTC Award Ceremony
      New Talent Competition gives young filmmakers from Central, Eastern and Southern Europe the opportunity to present their outstanding debut or second film to the public. Join us on Sunday 1 December at 19h
    • Music at ENFF
      The Eastern Neighbours Film Festival welcomes special musical guests each year to enrich our program. For this 16th edition, we’re thrilled to present two talented young musicians: guitarist Antonio Peršak (CR) and violinist İdil Yunkuş (TR). Together, they will perform a traditional Balkan dance and folk song, highlighting the beauty of this music through the… Read more: Music at ENFF
    • Masterclass with Janez Burger
      This masterclass presents a unique opportunity to explore Burger's distinct storytelling style, genre use, and exploration of contemporary social issues. Join us on Saturday 30 November at 17h - Room 5
    • Panel Discussion: Exploration of individual and collective memory in cinema
      Panel Discussion: Exploration of individual and collective memory in cinema on Friday 29 November at 18h

Mothers

The story of two mothers who learn to let go of each other in order to grow.

Synopsis

Aldona is the single mother of a daughter, Migle, who is soon to become a mother herself.
​When Migle comes to visit for the weekend during the last days of her pregnancy, Aldona tries to show how much she cares, but instead starts to control her daughter. Step by step, Aldona pushes the boundaries between the two, until she crosses the line. 

MOTINOS

Lithuania | 2021 | 15 min

DIRECTOR / SCREENPLAY: Birute Kapustinskaite

PRODUCTION: Ruta Petronyte, Kestutis Drazdauskas – UAB “ARTBOX”

CAST: Aldona Vilutyte, Laima Akstinaite, Felipe Souza Melo 

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Vytautas Katkus LAC

EDITING: Gabriele Urbonaite

SCREENING: Thursday 24.11. / 17:15h / Zaal 3 & Saturday 26.11 / 13:45h / Zaal 6 / Dutch Premiere

TICKETS

Director’s statement

I guess we all have experienced motherly love that at some point becomes suffocating. By taking this theme and making a film out of it I was interested in a mother’s perspective. How does a mother feel, when her only child is about to become a mother herself? All the anxiety and the wish to control enables Aldona to hide from the vulnerability and solitude that is lying deep inside her. By choosing to take care of others sometimes we just hide our fear to meet ourselves. I experience the same subtle controlling patterns in my own relationships. The film is a perfect place to explore it, let others recognize themselves and – like the main character – find the strength to let it go and become free through accepting your solitude. 

Director’s bio

Birute Kapustinskaite is a playwright and screenwriter for cinema, theatre and audio projects. In 2018, she received Lithuania’s national Golden Cross Award for best playwright. Birute also won the Best Screenplay award at the 2019 Aubagne Film Festival for the screenplay of the feature film “Sasha Was Here”. She teaches screenwriting at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, and at Vilnius University. The short film “Mothers” is her debut as a director.

Festivals & Awards (selection)

Alice nella Città, 2022 | Spirit of Fire Film Festival, 2022 | Vilnius International Film Festival “Kino Pavasaris”, 2022 | Ismailia International Film Festival, 2022 – Jury Special Mention | Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS, 2022 | ​​​FEST – New Directors/New Films Festival, 2022