19 “Silver Crane” statuettes will be awarded to the best filmmakers of this year, the “Golden Crane” for lifetime achievement, as well as the “Silver Crane Egg” for the best student work of the year. There is also a special award for the promotion of film culture.
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The best of the year were chosen by the film community – filmmakers proposed by film industry associations and those who submitted their candidacies, as well as former “Silver Crane” laureates.
Among the awards is also a special Audience Choice Film nomination. Its winner will be revealed by counting which film attracted the most viewers to cinemas.
Started in 2008 and held for almost 20 years, the awards annually bring together the Lithuanian film community and have already recognized hundreds of filmmakers.
According to the event organizers – the AVAKA association and the Lithuanian Film Centre – this year 72 film applications were submitted for the awards, of which 68 were passed on to the Selection Committee for consideration.
This year’s committee consisted of: cinematographer and director Linas Žiūra, producer Klementina Remeikaitė, director Linas Mikuta, producer Giedrė Burokaitė, film critic Rūta Oginskaitė, composer Linas Rimša, director Gediminas Šiaulys, actress Gabija Jaraminaitė, film critic Neringa Kažukauskaitė.
At the beginning of the solemn event, last year’s statistics and the award for the Promotion of Film Culture were presented by the event organizers – AVAKA association head Darius Vaitiekūnas and Lithuanian Film Centre director Laimonas Ubavičius. The latter emphasized that in 2025, cinema attendance in Lithuania exceeded 3 million viewers, and last year there were as many as 22 national film premieres.
The Award for the Promotion of Film Culture went to Renata Miškinienė, head of the library and film club leader at Anykščiai Jonas Biliūnas Gymnasium, who for many years has been organizing film camps, workshops, and meetings with filmmakers for students.
“Cinema can also begin at school. It happened to me in Kaunas, at the ‘Santaka’ cinema. Since then, cinema has been sensitivity to the human condition for me,” said the laureate.
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The best student work of the year was recognized as the film “Signal Path” by director Eglė Razumaitė. The symbolic Crane Egg was presented by actor Vytautas Anužis, who is celebrating his 70th birthday today. The hall greeted the actor with loud applause. The award on behalf of the director was accepted by the film’s lead actress.
The best animated film of the year was the work “Creation of Worlds” by directors Kristina Buožytė and Vitalijus Žukas. A large team from this film went on stage to receive the award.
Kristina Buožytė said that while working with Čiurlionis’ creations, they enjoyed and rejoiced in trying to convey the light encoded in the artist’s works.
The “Silver Crane” statuette was awarded to director Rinaldas Tomaševičius for the best short film recognized as his work “After Fentanyl”. The statuette was presented to the laureate by actor Kęstutis Cicėnas. He stated that although Lithuanian cinema is increasingly visible worldwide, the Lithuanian government only manages to reduce funding for cinema.
Receiving the award, R. Tomaševičius said that he tries to create humane art, but it often seems that his cinema is only needed by himself and his heroes. “This award gives hope that this film is needed by someone else as well. Thank you,” said the director.
The best makeup artist of the year for work on director Karolis Kaupinis’ film “The House of the Starvers” was announced as Jurgita Globyte. The award was accepted on her behalf by the film’s producer Marija Razgutė. The makeup artist was awarded the Silver Crane in 2020 for her joint work with K. Kaupinis on his film “Nova Lituania”.
Another – best costume designer award – for the film “The House of the Starvers” went to Monika Vėbraitė. She thanked director Karolis for his patience and trust, her family and friends for their support, and everyone who has fought and is fighting for freedom and justice.
The best production designer of the year – Nerijus Narmontas. The committee recognized him for his work on Jurgis Matulevičius’ film “Chinese Sea”. He said that creating cinema is not the easiest task in this world, so he thanked the film’s director, producer, and the entire film team, as well as his family.
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