Archive of films Old Man and the Land / Senis ir žemė
Lithuania
1965, 20 min
Section:
Reflections of Time: Baltic Poetic Documentary
Year: 2018
The Old Man and the Land is considered one of the iconic early features of Lithuanian poetic documentary cinema. Documentaries and newsreels of the time were expected to show country folk rejoicing in their improving Soviet existence. The hero of Verba’s film is different. Verba created a unique profile of a genuine man from an old Lithuanian (as opposed to Soviet) village.
Synopsis
The Old Man and the Land by Robertas Verba is considered one of the iconic early features of Lithuanian poetic documentary cinema. Documentaries and newsreels of the time were expected to show country folk rejoicing in their improving Soviet existence and in the new achievements in collective farming, their experiences usually conveyed by voiceover narration. The hero of Verba’s film, a white-mustached old man, is different. By allowing his subject to speak for himself, to narrate his own life story, including its woes, and to talk about his children and the love he feels for his wife, Verba created a unique profile of a genuine man from an old Lithuanian (as opposed to Soviet) village.
Elena Jasiūnaitė
About the director
Robertas Verba (1932–1994). Selected filmography: The Old Man and the Land (Senis ir Žemė, 1965), Vincas Svirskis (1967), Čiūtyta rūta (1968), The Dreams of the Centenarians (Šimtamečių godos, 1969), To the Feast (Šventėn, 1970), Love Bloomed on Sunday (Meilė pražydo sekmadienį, 1976), Wings of Lituanica (Lituanikos sparnai, 1983)
Contacts
Lithuanian Film Centre
Zigmanto Sierakausko st. 15, 03105, Vilnius
Lithuania
Tel: +370 5 213 0547
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.lkc.lt
About the film
Black & white, DCP
Section: | Reflections of Time: Baltic Poetic Documentary |
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Director: | Robertas Verba |
Screenplay: | Grigorijus Kanovičius, Vytautas Rimkevičius, Robertas Verba |
Dir. of Photography: | Vladimiras Kostiugovas, Robertas Verba |
Music: | Algimantas Apanavičius |
Editor: | Vytenis Imbrasas |
Production: | Lithuanian Film Studio |
Sales: | Lithuanian Film Centre |
Guests
Dovilė Butnoriūtė
Film Institution Rep., PR & Marketing