Baltic UXO
Munition dumping into the seas and oceans was a crude yet common practice after the first and second world wars. 70 years later, this heritage rears its head - spreading disease among Baltic fish, stopping marine construction projects, and endangering the coastal economy and tourism. Small disparate groups of scientists collect countless data to bring the subject of munition clearance into the political and military agendas.
The film takes the audience on a journey where step by step the viewers are exposed to the dangerous secrets of the Baltic. It dives into the life of small microorganisms and continues to the bigger and bigger and more prominent areas affected by the munitions, unveiling the scale of this ecological, political, and economic problem. Everything all the way up to giant marine construction projects and militaries are now dealing with consequences of the decisions made in the past.
The affected areas, organisms, and human activities themselves act as the main protagonists of the film – inviting the viewer into a visual journey, underscored by a sci-fi-ish underwater-like soundscape, for them to leave with questions such as: Could this have been avoided? Can this be resolved? Or are humans made for slow self-destruction either way?
The film takes the audience on a journey where step by step the viewers are exposed to the dangerous secrets of the Baltic. It dives into the life of small microorganisms and continues to the bigger and bigger and more prominent areas affected by the munitions, unveiling the scale of this ecological, political, and economic problem. Everything all the way up to giant marine construction projects and militaries are now dealing with consequences of the decisions made in the past.
The affected areas, organisms, and human activities themselves act as the main protagonists of the film – inviting the viewer into a visual journey, underscored by a sci-fi-ish underwater-like soundscape, for them to leave with questions such as: Could this have been avoided? Can this be resolved? Or are humans made for slow self-destruction either way?
Two Of Us
To the world, journalist Vitalius and choir tenor Albinas present themselves as father and son, though they have been lovers for more than half a century.
They met in Soviet Lithuania, at a time when same-sex relationships were not only taboo but a criminal offense. It meant prison, disgrace, or exile. For decades they lived in plain sight while hiding their love, denied recognition by both family and society.
Today, Lithuania is still one of six countries in Europe that offers no legal recognition of queer couple partnership. Yet a recent Constitutional Court decision has opened a narrow path: same-sex partnerships can be recognized through the courts. After decades of hiding, Vitalius now dares to demand that the love of his life be legally acknowledged.
But as he fights for justice, Albinas slips further into illness. Living with dementia and near blindness, he grows weaker each day, while Vitalius holds on — caught between love’s endurance and the fear of a final goodbye.
They met in Soviet Lithuania, at a time when same-sex relationships were not only taboo but a criminal offense. It meant prison, disgrace, or exile. For decades they lived in plain sight while hiding their love, denied recognition by both family and society.
Today, Lithuania is still one of six countries in Europe that offers no legal recognition of queer couple partnership. Yet a recent Constitutional Court decision has opened a narrow path: same-sex partnerships can be recognized through the courts. After decades of hiding, Vitalius now dares to demand that the love of his life be legally acknowledged.
But as he fights for justice, Albinas slips further into illness. Living with dementia and near blindness, he grows weaker each day, while Vitalius holds on — caught between love’s endurance and the fear of a final goodbye.