The love drama that Lithuania selected to pursue an Oscar nomination arrives in the country’s cinemas from September 18. The first screenings of “Divorce During the War” at New York’s IFC cinema were packed to capacity, so its run was extended for an additional week, and the film will also reach cinemas in Los Angeles and other US cities.
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Over more than a week, A. Blaževičius gave numerous interviews – from specialized film podcasts to well-known publications, and met with film viewers who had various questions.
“The different questions people raise show that the film’s theme is universal. First and foremost, it is a human story of divorce, relevant in all parts of the world. I receive the most praise for how organically the film blends a relationship crisis with important geopolitical events. Others notice the characters’ performative activism for a calmer future. The acting is noted as very compelling, as is the humor, and people recognize some of their own or their partner’s less favorable traits in certain situations,” the director smiles.
Depicts the present about Lithuania
According to A. Blaževičius, the motivation to create a film about divorce came from the realization that such films are lacking.
“Although nearly every other couple divorces, and divorce is widely discussed on social media and in the press, there is a shortage of films analyzing this topic. When the significant event that invaded our lives, the war in Ukraine, began, a script naturally started to form in my mind,” says A. Blaževičius, who won the Best Director award at the Sundance Festival.
The director admits that it is most meaningful for him to create films about the present, about Lithuania, to capture the current time and our states in cinema. This is also characteristic of his earlier films “The Saint” and “Runner.”
The film will spark discussions
The film tells the story of Maria – an ambitious head of a large advertising agency department – and Vytautas – a film director searching for himself – who decide to divorce. It seems their marriage lacks nothing, but Maria feels unhappy and decides to confess that she wants a divorce. She chooses the worst possible time for an open conversation.
The director hopes that after the film, viewers will reflect on themselves, their choices, and attitudes in various life situations.
“Divorce During the War” raises questions about when we act according to values and when we pretend, whether we make the right decisions, and whether we have enough empathy. The film contains a lot of self-irony, which, as a society, we could sometimes have more of. Perhaps a viewer, finding themselves in a similar situation as the characters, will act differently, think more. After all, it is better to learn from films than from personal experiences. I have no doubt the film will spark discussions,” says A. Blaževičius, whose films have already won eight “Silver Cranes.”
The love drama “Divorce During the War” stars some of Lithuania’s most prominent contemporary actors – “Silver Crane” laureates Marius Repšys and Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė, as well as the highly praised young actress Amelija Adomaitytė, and audience favorites Indrė Patkauskaitė, Larisa Kalpokaitė, Rimantas Bagdzevičius.
The love drama “Divorce During the War,” shown in US cinemas, arrives in Lithuanian cinemas from September 18.
The production of “Divorce During the War” in Lithuania was financed by the Lithuanian Film Centre, Vilnius Film Fund, LRT, and the film was made in co-production with Luxembourg, Ireland, and the Czech Republic.
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