MURMURING HEARTS
In-Person Screening: Saturday, November 8, 1 pm
Director Vytautas Puidokas will present a Q&A following the screening.
Virtual Screenings: TBA
Murmuring Hearts (Murmančios širdys)
Vytautas Puidolas, 80 min, Lithuania, France, Norway, 2024
In Lithuanian with English subtitles
North American Premiere
Matas, a 14-year old foster child, arrives at a Lithuanian rehab-farm where a group of men are recovering from addiction and aggression. Led by the charismatic Žanas, a former addict, the community follows a strict routine—praying, tending to animals, and making cheese—all to escape the troubled cycles of the past. As they work to heal from within, the men must also take responsibility for the boy, slowly but surely becoming problematic and complicated role models. Struggling with his own demons—abandonment, violence and loneliness—Matas evokes their own unresolved emotions, particularly for those who share a similar history. As dynamics shift, the fractured group slowly works through anger to become a dysfunctional family, bound by their shared struggles. Together, they face the challenge of holding together a community, clinging to the hope of brighter days ahead.
The winner of the Young Europeans Award at International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes (FIPADOC), Murmuring Hearts provides a candid glimpse into masculinity, trauma, and what it takes to heal. (80 min. In Lithuanian with English subtitles)
"A raw portrait of addiction" – Annika Pham, Variety
Festival & Awards History
2024 Black Nights Film Festival Tallinn
2025 Kino Pavarsis Vilnius
Best Cinematography Linas Žiūra - 2024 Doc@PÖFF Black Nights Film Festival
Young Europeans Prize - 2025 FIPADOC International Documentary Film Festival, Biarritz
Best Feature Documentary - 2025 National Film Awards Lithuania
Director bio:
Vytautas Puidokas is a freelance documentary director based in Vilnius, Lithuania. He has a degree in Media and Film studies at the University of Surrey (UK). His career started in Lithuanian National Television, where he has worked as a scriptwriter and director. His debut feature-length documentary El Padre Medico premiered in Camden IFF (USA) and was nominated for best documentary in Lithuania. His other films were screened in festivals around Europe and USA. In 2022, he received the Vilnius International FIlm Festival award for emerging local filmmaker. Apart from documentaries, Vytautas is also creating music videos and video installations. His work covers topics related to migration, history, and identity. Murmuring Hearts is his second feature.