Critics' Choice

Always drawing some of the largest crowds to the cinemas, the Critics’ Choice programme is back this year with the favourites of film critics writing for a variety of prestigious publications. This breathtaking selection includes films that tell extraordinary stories using unique forms and genres. Both renowned and emerging filmmakers find their place here.

The program is presented by

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Country

France, India, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Genre

Drama

Duration

115 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

Payal Kapadia Prabhayaay ninachathellaam

All We Imagine as Light (SDH)

A disruptive gift, forbidden love, and the threat of losing a home lead three Mumbai women to the seaside, where each embarks on a journey of healing and self-discovery.
Country

Japan, United Kingdom, United States

Genre

Documentary

Duration

103 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

Shiori Itō Black Box Diaries

Black Box Diaries

After speaking out about sexual assault, a young journalist risks her life as she challenges Japan’s cultural norms that demean women.
Country

Belgium, Sweden

Genre

Drama

Duration

100 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

Leonardo van Dijl Julie Zwijgt

Julie Keeps Quiet

Kai jaunos tenisininkės treneris apkaltinamas netinkamu elgesiu, aplinkiniai spaudžia Žiuli prabilti, bet mergina atsiriboja tylos siena.
Country

Germany

Genre

History, Documentary

Duration

115 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

Andres Veiel Riefenstahl

Riefenstahl

Was Leni Riefenstahl, who made films for Hitler, a great artist born in unfortunate times, or a supporter of a monstrous regime?
Country

France

Genre

Drama

Duration

94 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

Boris Lojkine L’histoire de Souleymane

Souleymane's Story

Working illegally as a courier in Paris, Suleiman seeks asylum, but his dream of staying in Europe is hindered by endless bureaucracy and exhaustion.
Country

Hungary, United Kingdom, United States

Genre

Drama, History

Duration

215 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

The film is presented

Brady Corbet The Brutalist

The Brutalist

A Holocaust survivor flees war-torn Europe, but an ambitious project entrusted to him across the Atlantic makes him question the promise of the American dream.
Country

France, Spain

Genre

Drama, Comedy

Duration

114 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

The film is presented

Jonás Trueba Volveréis

The Other Way Around (SDH)

After fifteen years together, Ale and Alex plan a divorce party — but can the end of a relationship truly be celebratory?
Country

Germany, United Kingdom

Genre

Drama

Duration

118 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

Nora Fingscheidt The Outrun

The Outrun

Another striking role from Saoirse Ronan – as a young woman whose childhood memories and the wilderness become her path to recovery from addiction.
Country

Canada

Genre

Comedy, Drama

Duration

89 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

Matthew Rankin Une Langue Universelle

Universal Language

Somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg, this subtle comedy transports us to an alternate reality where cultural boundaries blur, and human connection takes centre stage.
Country

Belgium, France, Italy

Genre

Drama

Duration

119 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

The film is presented

Maura Delpero Vermiglio

Vermiglio

As World War II ends, a deserter arrives in a remote Italian Alpine village, carrying a secret that unravels the family that shelters him.
Country

France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, United States, Vietnam

Genre

Drama

Duration

129 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

Trương Minh Quý Việt and Nam

Viet and Nam

Coal miners Viet and Nam find comfort and warmth in each other’s arms, their secret romance becoming a fragile refuge from the harsh reality above ground.
Country

Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Slovakia

Genre

Documentary

Duration

99 min

Release date

2024

Trailer

To like

The film is presented

Peter Kerekes Wishing on a Star

Wishing on a Star

For both astrology believers and sceptics alike – this fiction-like documentary is a warm and playful reminder that for those looking for answers, sometimes a journey is all it takes.

Other programs

All programs

Festival opening for kids

We will invite parents and their children to a special celebration for kids in Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda. Joyful chatter, games, treats, and two animated films – “Flow” and “BFF. Turbo Bear”.

Films

The program is presented by

Short Competition : Truth or dare

What is fake and what is real? Who can you trust and which secrets can you keep? With hidden details in paintings, a secret surveillance programme in Venice, a fake luxury family cruise, a secret love and a hardcore betrayal, each film in this programme will trick your mind, reveal, make you doubt, and wonder: is it all even true?

Films

The program is presented by

Lithuanian Premieres

This year, Lithuanian directors will present both fiction and documentary films, some having already toured international festivals and others just embarking on their journey. The program includes Murmuring Hearts and Johatsu, both of which made a splash at Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival; Toxic, which won the Golden Leopard at Locarno; and Sacrum and Profanum in Pievėnai, a documentary offering an intimate look at Easter night in Pievėnai.

Films

All programs