“The Summer of Sangaile” – the first Lithuanian feature in Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition
“The Summer of Sangaile” by the Lithuanian director Alantė Kavaitė – together with another 11 films – was selected for the Sundance Film Festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition where it will have its world premiere and will be screened as the day one film.
The film tells the story of the 17-year-old Sangaile who is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show near her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person who truly encourages her to fly.
The film features Julija Steponaitytė (as Sangaile) and Aistė Diržiūtė (as Auste). The film is produced by Fralita Films (Lithuania) and Les Films d’Antoine (France) and co-produced by Viking Film (Netherlands).
“It is great news, because I have put a lot of heart and effort into this movie”, says Alantė Kavaitė, the director and the script writer of the film now residing in France. “It will be exciting to share my feelings about the most beautiful and complex years of adolescence. It was important for me to shoot “The Summer of Sangaile” in Lithuania as I have spent my adolescence years here. I am happy that the world will be able to see the talented Lithuanian actors and the great work of our team.”
“It is very important for Lithuanian cinema in general”, says Živilė Gallego, one of the film producers. “It will be a great start for the film, and it has exceeded our expectations.”
“We are glad we had a chance to support this great film”, says Rolandas Kvietkauskas, the Head of the Lithuanian Film Centre. “We are happy to have a new prominent name in the Lithuanian film industry and we would like to congratulate Alantė and her crew on this success.”
The production of the film in Lithuania was supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre.
The Sundance Film Festival will take place 22 January – 1 February, 2015 in Utah, the U.S.A.