By BR | 17.02.2012 | 12:57 ET in Europe

The only premiere of a Lithuanian film at Berlin International Film Festival – tonight already

A premiere of a feature film “Restricted sensation” by a Lithuanian artist Deimantas Narkevicius will take place tonight at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. It is important to note that this is the only Lithuanian film that has made it to Berlinale this year and it will be screened as a part of a “Forum Expanded” programme

Deimantas Narkevicius

“Restricted sensation” has already participated in this year’s Rotterdam International Film Festival where it competed for the main “Tiger” award in the category of short films. The film by Deimantas Narkevicius has already caught the attention of Hollywood’s major film distribution company.

When asked about the major factors that have contributed to the international recognition of the film, the director who is in Berlin at the moment and who will be attending tonight‘s premiere, replied briefly that it just happened.

A shot from the film Restricted sensation directed by D.Narkevicius

“Everything was a success – from an idea to its realization. Everyone was working with great enthusiasm during the making of the film; we were able to inspire the whole team for work which was far from traditional. I gave plenty of room for experimentation for everyone involved in the creative process and it has fully paid off,” says the artist.

“Restricted sensation” tells the story of the Soviet Lithuania of 1970s when individual human freedoms were strictly regulated and sacrificed for the benefit of collective interests. This was a period which was particularly unsafe for actively creating artists. The motto of this film, a popular Soviet – era phrase, describing the legal nihilism of that time could easily be considered being absurd: “Just give us a person and we’ll find the necessary law to imprison him”.

“Sex – based crimes were at the lowest stage of this macabre system. At the same time it was a very effective way to discredit someone and to diminish the authority of anyone that did not blend in. Particularly suited for that was the article 122 of the Soviet Criminal Code which punished for homosexual relations between men. The women were bypassed by the Criminal Code“, – said Deimantas Narkevicius, the director of the film “Restricted sensation”.

Actors Valentinas Krulikovskis, Aleksas Kazanavicius, Mikalojus Urbonas, Vytautas Kaniusonis, Egle Driukaite, Arunas Smailys, Marius Repsys and others play in the film “Restricted sensation”. The operator of the film – Audrius Kemezys.

by Giedre Sileikye