Directed by Laurynas Bareiša • 2024 • Lithuania

Lithuania’s Laurynas Bareiša establishes himself as one of the Baltics’ most promising filmmakers with this captivating and elliptical family drama. Sisters Ernesta (Gelminė Glemžaitė) and Justė (Agnė Kaktaitė) are spending a weekend away at their family lake house with their husbands, martial artist Lukas (Paulius Markevičius) and businessman Tomas (Giedrius Kiela). Domestic tensions hang in the air until a near-tragic accident overwhelms proceedings, throwing characters and audience alike off-kilter. As the action slips between past, present, and future, Bareiša skilfully withholds and unfurls details of the two sisters’ inner worlds to create a compelling vision of trauma and memory that won both the best directing and best ensemble performance prizes at Locarno.

DROWNING DRY • SESĖS
Written and directed by Laurynas Bareiša
Cinematography by Laurynas Bareiša
Starring: Gelminė Glemžaitė, Paulius Markevičius, Agnė Kaktaitė

In Lithuanian with English subtitles

Winner of Best Director and Best Ensemble Performance at Locarno Film Festival 2024