Nova Lituania

Nova Lituania
Film poster
Directed by	Karolis Kaupinis
Produced by	Marija Razgutė
Starring	Aleksas Kazanavičius
Cinematography	Simonas Glinskis
Production company	M-Films
Release dates	30 June 2019 (2019-06-30) (KVIFF) 26 June 2020 (2020-06-26) (Lithuania)
Running time	96 minutes
Country	Lithuania
Language	Lithuanian

Nova Lituania is a 2019 Lithuanian film directed and written by Karolis Kaupinis. The black-and-white drama film deals with inter-war paranoia, nationalism and the identity crises of the nations occupied by the former USSR. The film was inspired by a real-life Lithuanian interwar political theorist Kazys Pakštas and his works on Dausuva.

It was selected as the Lithuanian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Oscar Academy Awards .^[1]

Synopsis

During the interwar period, Feliksas Gruodis, a Lithuanian geography professor played by Aleksas Kazanavicius, tries to convince the government to establish a backup state overseas, in order to save their country from ruin. However, the idea is mostly mocked and opposed. Still, there is hope in the secret support from the elderly prime minister, portrayed by Vaidotas Martinaitis. The men debate who they should save – others or themselves?^[2]

Cast

• Aleksas Kazanavičius as Feliksas Gruodis
• Vaidotas Martinaitis as Prime Minister Jonas Servus
• Valentinas Masalskis as President Juozapas Palionis
• Rasa Samuolyte as Veronika Gruodis
• Roberta Sirgedaite as Julyte
• Egle Gabrenaite as Veronika's Mother, Kotryna
• Julius Zalakevicius as General Svegzda
• Vidmantas Fijalkauskas as Dean of the Faculty
• Algirdas Dainavicius as Feliksas' Colleague
• Darius Meskauskas as Simonavicius, Head of the Press Agency
• Paulius Pinigis as Lieutenant Cesnulevicius
• Kiril Glusajev as Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Ridas Jasiulionis as Antanas
• Matas Dirgincius as Student I
• Povilas Jatkevicius as Student II
• Diana Aneviciute as Post Office Employee
• Indre Patkauskaite as Secretary Elena
• Valentinas Krulikovskis as Journalist
• Laima Akstinaite as Secretary Ona
• Valdas Latonas as Prime Minister Kunigas
• Egle Mikulionyte as Servus' Wife
• Rusne Savickaite as Servus' Daughter
• Kestutis Stasys Jakstas as Director of the Military School
• Mindaugas Bundza as Government Employee
• Mykolas Drunga as Employee (voice)

Production

Nova Lituania is the first feature film by Karolis Kaupinis and the third collaboration with producer Marija Razgutė (M-films) after the short films The Noisemaker in 2013 and Watchkeeping in 2017.^[3][4] The film is inspired by the life of interwar Lithuanian political theorist Kazys Pakštas and his work on Dausuva, the theoretical plan to create an alternative Lithuania to resist a possible invasion scenario.^[5][6] It has long been derided in Lithuanian culture. A popular post-war Lithuanian film, Adam Wants to be a Man (directed by Vytautas Zalakevicius, 1959/Adomas Nori Būti Žmogumi), parodies him as an atypical castaway from another century.^[7]

Karolis Kaupinis became interested in Kazys Pakštas after seeing the modern play Madagascar by Marius Ivaškevičius, which recounts the life of the theorist. He then decided to treat this Lithuanian historical figure in a post-modern way, mixing fictional elements with historical facts.^[8]

Reception

The film was generally very well received by critics. It received a 3.4/5 star rating on the Letterboxd based on 1108 votes from Internet users and 66% positive reviews based on 900 votes on the IMDB.^[9][10]

Accolades

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipients	Result
Athens International Film Festival 2019[11]	2019	Best Picture Award	Simonas Glinskis	Won
Cairo International Film Festival 2019[12]	2019	Best Film Nomination	Karolis Kaupinis	Nominated
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2019[13]	2019	International Competition	Karolis Kaupinis	Selected
Lithuanian Filmmakers Association Prize 2020[14]	2020	Best Cinematography Award	Simonas Glinskis	Won
Black Movie Festival Geneva 2020	2020	Audience Award Nomination	Karolis Kaupinis	Nominated
Vilnius International Film Festival (Kino pavasaris) 2020[15]	2020	Best Film Award	Karolis Kaupinis	Nominated
	2020	InEuropa	Karolis Kaupinis	Won
Lithuanian Film Academy Awards "Silver Crane" 2020[16]	2020	Best Film 2020	Karolis Kaupinis	Won
	2020	Best Director	Karolis Kaupinis	Won
	2020	Best Editing	Silvija Vilkaite	Selected
	2020	Best Sound	Julius Grigelionis	Selected
	2020	Best Supporting Actress	Egle Gabrenaite	Won
	2020	Best Actor	Aleksas Kazanavicius	Selected
	2020	Best Screenplay	Karolis Kaupinis	Selected
	2020	Best Supporting Actor	Vaidotas Martinaitis	Won
	2020	Best Art Direction	Audrius Dumikas	Won
Oscars' 93rd Academy Awards 2020[17]	2020	Best International Feature Film	Karolis Kaupinis	Selected
Lithuanian Film Academy National Awards 2021[18]	2021	Best Screenplay Award	Karolis Kaupinis	Won
	2021	Best Cinematography Award	Simonas Glinskis	Won
	2021	Best Costume Design Award	Monika Vebraite	Won
	2021	Best Supporting Actor Award	Vaidotas Martinaitis	Won
	2021	Best Supporting Actress Award	Egle Gabrenaite	Won
	2021	Best Film Award	Karolis Kaupinis	Won
	2021	Best Set Design Award	Audrius Dumikas	Won
	2021	Best Director Award	Karolis Kaupinis	Won
	2021	Best Make-up and Hairstyling Award	Jurgita Globyte	Won

See also

• List of submissions to the 93rd Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
• List of Lithuanian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

References

1. "Lithuania picks Nova Lituania for foreign-language Oscar nomination". LRT. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
2. "Nova Lituania review – we've got to get out of here". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
3. "Karolis Kaupinis". Le Groupe Ouest (in French). Retrieved 13 September 2023.
4. "Karolis Kaupinis | Director, Writer, Actor". IMDb. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
5. "Kazio Pakšto takais – ieškoti atsarginės Lietuvos". Bernardinai.lt (in Lithuanian). 5 March 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
6. "Filmo „Nova Lituania" režisierius K.Kaupinis: apie tragišką herojų K.Pakštą ir istorijos pamokas šiandienai". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 13 September 2023.
7. "Setting up a back-up Lithuania. Reimagining future past with Nova Lituania". lrt.lt. 16 January 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
8. Gleichgewicht, Daniel (8 January 2021). "Reimagining futures past: on Nova Lituania". New Eastern Europe. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
9. Nova Lituania (2019) - External reviews - IMDb, retrieved 13 September 2023
10. Nova Lituania (2019), retrieved 13 September 2023
11. "Another victory: Lithuanian movie wins best film award at Athens festival". Delfi EN (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 13 September 2023.
12. "Nova Lituania - Square Eyes". Nova Lituania - Square Eyes. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
13. "KVIFF | Nova Lituania". www.kviff.com. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
14. "Ąžuolai 2020". LAC. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
15. "Film "Nova Lituania" directed by Karolis Kaupinis won InEuropa award in Vilnius Film Festival "Kino pavasaris"". NPA | Independent Producers Association of Lithuania. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
16. "Lithuanian Film Awards (2023)". IMDb. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
17. "European titles submitted for the Oscars race". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
18. "National Lithuania Film Awards (2021)". IMDb. Retrieved 13 September 2023.

External links

• Nova Lituania at IMDb