As the prestigious Cannes Film Festival announced the program for the Critics’ Week, it was revealed that Arnas Balčiūnas’ short film Class Photo has been selected for the short film competition. The Lithuanian director’s film will compete alongside nine other short films from around the world, selected from a pool of 2,400 submissions. Class Photo is Balčiūnas’ graduation film, created as part of his Master’s studies at the National Film School of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.
Balčiūnas admits that receiving the invitation from Cannes was hard to believe at first.
“Even now, it sometimes feels unreal. But we’re corresponding with the festival – so it must be true,” the director jokes, adding that while making the film, he was not even thinking about the final grade for his thesis.
“Films are judged by people, and opinions are subjective, so I rarely expect a perfect score – let alone a festival selection. The competition is huge, and the chances of being noticed are small, so this invitation means a great deal.”
Vytautas Dambrauskas, Head of the National Film School (KIMO), points out that although Cannes has a dedicated program for student films, Class Photo was not selected for it – instead, it will compete alongside works by emerging and established professionals.
“To date, Lithuania has not had a student film competing in any program at Cannes. Being selected for such a festival is a major achievement not only for Lithuania, but also for the National Film School.”
“It is a huge milestone to be selected for the Critics’ Week at Cannes with a graduation film – it means our work stands alongside professional productions. For Arnas and me, this is our final student project at the National Film School, so this recognition is a symbolic and powerful way to complete our studies. We believe it will open new doors for the entire team, without whom this film would not exist,” says the film’s producer Morta Verbickaitė (M-Films), who is also completing her Master’s studies.
“This is yet another proof that our unique cinematic voice and stories resonate internationally. Cannes is one of the highest achievements in our industry, and this exceptional recognition once again confirms that Lithuania can be proud of its creators and the National Film School, where the dedication of lecturers and the entire community creates a safe and free environment for talent to grow and reach the global stage,” adds Dambrauskas.
Class Photo is Balčiūnas’ sixth short film, and several of his previous works have already gained recognition both in Lithuania and internationally. His debut film Dullness won Best International Film at the Friss Hús Short Film Festival in Hungary, while his second film Hubble’s Law screened at 25 international festivals. His film Passing Napoleon’s Hat received a Special Mention at the Drama International Short Film Festival in Greece.
In Lithuania, Balčiūnas has received two “Silver Crane Egg” awards for Best Student Film and has been recognized at festivals such as Kino Pavasaris, Scanorama, and the Vilnius Short Film Festival.
The latest short film Class Photo takes viewers to an abandoned school, where Ignas returns and meets a former classmate. As they wander through corridors filled with conflicting memories, they attempt to capture what is about to disappear.
Credits:
Writer & Director: Arnas Balčiūnas
Cinematographer: Milda Juodvalkytė
Editor: Antanas Skridaila
Sound Director: Fausta Pilkaitė
Composer: Matas Beržinskas
Production Designer: Rūta Strazdaitė
Producer: Morta Verbickaitė
Cast: Džiugas Gvozdzinskas, Mantas Barvičius
International sales: M-Films
Production company: National Film School of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (KIMO)
Photograph by Arnas Balčiūnas
