In-Person Screening: Sunday, November 12, 4:15 pm

Directors Giedrius Tamoševičius and Vytautas V. Landsbergis will present a Q&A following the screening.

Virtual Cinema Screenings: November 13-19

THE POET ( Poetas )
Giedrius Tamoševičius, Vytautas V. Landsbergis, Lithuania, 2022
112 minutes, In Lithuanian, Russian with English subtitles
North American Premiere

The Poet follows a talented poet (Donatas Želvys) who was expelled from the Lithuanian Soviet Writers' Union for his anti-Soviet writings. Recruited by the NKVD (later the KGB) in post-war Lithuania, he is offered a chance to regain his elite status among Soviet writers, on the condition of establishing contact with the partisans still hiding in the forests. In 1947, as a newly appointed teacher in a remote village, he grapples with his tarnished reputation, as children recite his coerced verses praising the Soviet regime and wary locals test his loyalties. His life takes a profound turn when an old friend leads him to the underground bunker of the Dainava resistance platoon, where he's tasked with writing hopeful verses to inspire the oppressed.

In The Poet, directors Giedrius Tamoševičius and Vytautas V. Landsbergis explore the moral dilemmas of survival, loyalty, and resistance in post-war Lithuania, capturing the struggle of a man torn between his principles, societal pressures, and the opportunity to make a difference. Rooted in historical accounts and true stories, the film authentically portrays the challenging choices individuals faced during this tumultuous period, offering a narrative of courage and sacrifice in the face of oppressive forces.

Festival History
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2022 (Winner - Best Baltic Film)