Authors Rūta Vyžintaitė-Lajienė, Rytis Titas

This movie is a short journey to the forests near Kaunas (Lithuania) where around 1944 – 1956 Lithuanian partisans were fighting against the Soviet occupation.

What was the life like living in the bunker? Is there a way to survive one hour hiding underwater? How did family from Saliai village turn them greenhouse into secret printing house? All the answers – straight from the lips of the last witnesses.

Artists about the process of creating film and their inspirations

Rūta: “The topic of partisan war is close to me because my grandfather was a resistant who gave an order to the Alaušas partisan platoon. I know that there are hundreds of other such grandparents in Lithuania, perhaps that is why our ears sometimes deviate from these topics. Heroism becomes almost routine. I hope this film will touch and remind that those old people in trolleybuses, parks, stairways are real superheroes who have survived incredible scenarios. There is very little time left to hear those stories from their lips… I am very glad that these stories are not only “sounded”, but also “grounded” in the true sense of the word – the possibility to get in the car and be in the bunker after 20 minutes is a great historical exotic and a gift. I had already discovered the bunkers of Pakaunė and these topics a little before. Once I‘ve met an old man who was burning candles there and talked with him. And it turned out, he saw all the events, maybe even built that bunker… I wanted to share these stories with everyone. I wanted to share the love for Lithuania which they spread to this day – I am glad that the team of CityTelling Festival felt the same and we will be able to tell all of this to the whole world.”

Rytis: “The strength of our heroes is expressed not only in the past – and today they radiate that strong, special spirit, inspiring not only the stories of the past but also the thoughts that are relevant today. During the creation of this film, I had to find especially sensitive, emotional visual solutions for these thoughts. It was not easy to find the right sound solution: the characters’ feelings and experiences are so unique that I decided not to put music to the film, but to create my soundtrack and compositions. It’s hard to describe all the emotions I’ve experienced, but perhaps the most breathtaking is the moment when you are in the bunker and its door closes and you are left alone in blind darkness.”

Rūta Vyžintaitė – Lajienė ir Rytis Titas – independent filmmakers years by years telling audiovisual stories of Kaunas and other cities.