On October 17, Truth & Treason, a film shot in Vilnius, premiered in cinemas across the United States. Based on a true story, the film transforms the Lithuanian capital into 1940s Hamburg, where a teenager named Helmuth Hübener dares to resist the Nazi regime.
Returning briefly to Vilnius, the American creative team couldn’t hide their admiration for the city’s locations and the local professionals they worked with. According to them, in today’s world, the story of Truth & Treason feels more relevant than ever.
The story takes viewers to Nazi Germany, where a young member of the Hitler Youth secretly listens to banned BBC broadcasts criticizing the Nazi war machine. Inspired by what he hears, Helmuth begins to see through the propaganda and realizes that Hitler is not a savior but a deceiver. After his friend is sent to a concentration camp, Helmuth decides to act. With the help of two friends and armed only with words, he begins distributing leaflets revealing the truth about the regime.
Director Matt Whitaker says the idea for the film was born more than 20 years ago, after he met Karl-Heinz Schnibbe, a member of the real-life resistance group. However, bringing this powerful story to the screen took time.
“It was more than 20 years of writing, with the first drafts reaching 140 pages,” Whitaker recalls. “A lot changed over time – some details, some characters – but Helmuth’s story, his transformation from a timid regime follower and later – to a bold and courageous resistance fighter, stayed the same. After so many years of trying to share this story with the world, seeing it on the big screen feels surreal.”
“What’s happening today – in the U.S. and elsewhere – the rise of authoritarianism, the threats to press freedom… Our story is about a sixteen-year-old who grew up surrounded by propaganda, without access to the truth. When he finally heard it, he recognized it instantly – and the Gestapo knew how dangerous that was. The same dangers exist today. Lithuania felt like the perfect place to make this film, not just for its locations but for its history. Knowing its past of peaceful resistance – and that some of the Lithuanian crew have lived through similar struggles – made the story even more meaningful for all of us.”
Producer Russ Kendall reveals that the project initially began as a four-part television series. Once the creative team and distributors saw its cinematic potential, they decided to make a feature film first, with a series still planned for later. Returning to Vilnius to shoot was, for him, an easy decision.
“We keep coming back not only for the locations, but for the people,” Kendall says. “The crews here bring incredible skill, professionalism, and collaboration. We’re already thinking about what to film here next. The journey matters to us as much as the final product – and this one wouldn’t have been the same without the Lithuanian team.”
The film reached U.S. audiences two weeks ago, with European premieres soon to follow.
“Before the premiere, we were just excited,” says producer John Foss. “The premiere itself was a huge celebration – a few hundred people in the audience were descendants of those portrayed on screen. It was emotional. Now we can’t wait for the world to see it. This isn’t an American or a German story – it’s a universal one, especially in the times we’re living in. Many people who see it reflect on their own beliefs and what they’re willing to stand up for.”
Before filming began, the team scouted locations across Eastern and Western Europe – but found their 1940s Hamburg in Vilnius. Shooting took place between April and July 2024, with many Old Town streets, including A. Volano, Šv. Mykolo, Bernardinų, and Bokšto, featuring prominently on screen, along with Pasažas Square and the former Vilnius Juozas Tallat-Kelpša Conservatory on Didžioji Street.
“It was incredibly easy to film in Vilnius,” says cinematographer Bianca Cline. “Our biggest challenge was choosing which streets to include – there were so many that perfectly matched the era. The light, the cobblestones, the way the old buildings are preserved – everything fit beautifully.”
The filming in Lithuania was organized by Baltic Film Services, the company behind many internationally acclaimed projects filmed in the country, including “Stranger Things 4,” “Chernobyl,” “Catherine the Great,” and “The Royal Mob.”
A number of Lithuanian film professionals joined the “Truth & Treason” team, including costume designer Rūta Lečaitė, makeup artists Božena Moisejenko and Jurga Globytė, production designer Jurga Gerdvilaitė, art directors Ramūnas Rastauskas and Donatas Pirštelis, and sound mixer Marius Blažys. The main cinematographer was supported by Laura Aliukonytė, Audrius Zelenius, and Julius Sičiūnas.
Lithuanian actors appearing in the film include Monika Valkūnaitė, Vaidotas Martinaitis, Vitalija Mockevičiūtė, Deividas Breivė, Neringa Bulotaitė, Džiugas Grinys, Indrė Jaraitė, Edita Užaitė, Kristina Skokova, and Paulius Markevičius.
