Archive of films Land of Glass / Stiklo Salis

Lithuania
2004, 68 min

Section: East of the West - Competition
Year: 2005

A woman, her daughter and newborn son live in an isolated house in a landscape encased in winter’s icy shell. Her ever-absent husband can’t seem to understand her growing fear. Something ominous is overcoming the atmosphere of their home....

Synopsis

A woman lives with her seven-year-old daughter and newborn son in an isolated house in the middle of a mournful landscape; it seems as if winter has encased everything in a bluish, glasslike shell. The nervous creature is beset with ever-more tormenting anxiety and fear, unaffected even by walks in nature. Her husband doesn’t get home till late, the baby is sick, and she worries about his welfare until she is absolutely frantic. No wellspring of understanding, her husband suspects her of exaggerating her mental breakdown, and he is unwilling to admit that even his daughter’s behaviour has altered. Something ominous is infiltrating the atmosphere of their home....

About the director

Janina Lapinskaite (b. 1953, Šilauliaim, Lithuania) studied film direction at the Music Academy in 1970-75 and then began working in television. She debuted with a short film, This Is My Destiny (Tai mano likimas, 1994), then followed it up with other shorts, including From the Life of the Ants (Is skruzdeliu gyvenino, 1995), which won a prize at the art documentary festival in Monte Carlo. From the Life of Elves (Is elfu gyvenimo, 1996) was honoured with the Special Prize at Prix Europa in Berlin and with the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo. Her other films, From the Life of Lambs (Is avineliu gyvenimo, 1998), Magic of Travels (Kelioniu magija, 1999) and An Act (Aktas, 2000), were also well-received at various festivals. The director’s first feature, Venecius Life and Death of Caesar (Venecijaus gyvenimas ir Cezario myrtis), appeared in 2002 and took awards in Perm (Russia), Portugal and Riga.

Contacts

Studija 2
Nemencines pl.4, LT-10102, Vilnius
Lithuania
Tel: +370 520 560 55
Fax: +370 527 846 62
E-mail: [email protected]

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About the film

Color, 35 mm
International premiere

Section:	East of the West - Competition

Director:	Janina Lapinskaite
Screenplay:	Vanda Juknaite, Janina Lapinskaite
Dir. of Photography:	Algimantas Mikutenas
Music:	Kipras Mašanauskas
Editor:	Jonas Maksvytis
Producer:	Kęstutis Petrulis
Production:	Studija 2000
Cast:	Jurga Kalvaityte, Povilas Budrys, Urte Sejūnaite
Contact:	Studija 2

Guests

Janina Lapinskaite

Film Director