This is the first opportunity for French cinema lovers to get acquainted with the works of A.Stonis – the program shows twenty of the director’s works created between 1989 and 2018.
Even though Paris is one of the main cultural centers of the world and the competition for art events there is huge, the retrospective of A.Stonis’s work is getting a lot of attention. At its opening, the main hall of the Pompidou was packed, the national media also already have reviews of the director’s work, and there are many viewers when films are shown in the halls.
Publications have already been published by Le Monde and Les Cahiers du cinema, A. Stonys said that three more interviews are scheduled for Wednesday. “And this kind of interest is somewhat unexpected,” A. Stonys told 15min. – Because the competition here is huge. After all, Jim Jarmusch has arrived now, hundreds of exhibitions and concerts. And it’s really fun to see so many people in such a fairly niche film genre – a poetic documentary.”
Lithuania is very interested
A. Stonys says that it is obvious that the French know cinema well – even in high school, cinema is taught as a separate subject. He himself thought of making a selection of his own films, but the strictest requirement of the French was that all films should be shown, from the first to the latest, thus making it possible to get to know the work in depth. However, the films are not shown in chronological order, but by combining them: “It’s like it’s happening Cortazarian game, jumping from film to film, thus creating new highlights”.
“And it seems to me that it is very important for them that what they see is from Lithuania. Lithuania is a very mysterious land for them. I think that the French see Lithuania as, if we take cinema, the land of Šarūnas Bart and Jonas Mekos. Both are mysterious, strange filmmakers. Therefore, the name of Lithuania is both well-known here, and we are very interested. And when you say that you are from Lithuania, you will hear a nostalgic shout,” said A. Stonys.
Audrius Ožalo/ 15min photo/A.Stonis film retrospective in Paris
Educated in cinema
“Making documentary films is probably the best profession, because it takes you to different places – from deserts to glaciers,” said A. Stonys while presenting the films “Varpas” and “Flight over Lithuania or 510 seconds of silence” on Monday. On Monday, two films were shown – different in terms of subject matter, filming technique, and duration. However, both of them raise fundamental questions of identity, faith, relationship with reality.
The fact that these films touched the audience was also evident after the film screening. The audience not only asked the director about the films, but also provided their own insights. The director himself 15min also said that these meetings with the audience are a special experience.
“The French are very educated in cinema, and very rarely you will get a technical, curious or superficial question from them, although sometimes it is quite fun to answer them and tell all kinds of anecdotes related to movies. But the French always ask essentially, and very often their questions turn into a mini-analysis of your film or a review born on the spot. And it’s a normal thing – they don’t say they liked it or didn’t like it, they argue, explain. And if they don’t like something, they also say it clearly,” A. Stonys told 15min.
Silence instead of information
The first film shown was “Flight over Lithuania or 510 seconds of silence” made in 2000. This film was created for the world exhibition EXPO 2000, and in this short film the audience sees impressive views of Lithuania – the dunes of Nida, lakes and forests, the old town of Vilnius, Traki, and the most modern technology was used in the making of this film.
True, A. Stonys admitted that now these technological possibilities, when we already have drones, may not make an impression, but then drones had not been invented yet, and many aerial images were filmed with Russian-made Mi-8 helicopters: “Then they were called flying tanks”.
But it wasn’t just technological ideas that posed a challenge. A. Stonys said that he understood from the very beginning how different institutions imagine this film. The director was told that the film should reflect religion, sports, culture and a host of other topics. “But I said we only have 8 minutes,” he said. “That’s why I chose 510 seconds of silence.”
Silence can tell a lot more about a country than information.
“Silence can tell a lot more about a country than information,” said the director, adding that it also leaves a lot of room for interpretation.
A legend from childhood
The second film, The Bell, shown on Monday, talks about the relationship with the past, legends and faith, enveloping it in a poetic atmosphere. A. Stonys said that the idea to create this film came from memories from his childhood – back then, he used to spend a lot of time by Lake Plateliai and heard a legend – that there is a sunken bell at the bottom of the lake, which echoes sounds from the depths. Is this true? Do the people living near the lake still remember this legend?
“I thought it would be interesting to investigate whether that bell really lies at the bottom of the lake. With a team of divers, we decided to look for that mysterious bell”, said A. Stonys. By the way, during filming, he also dived himself – but only to a depth of 29 meters, because a greater depth could already threaten the life of an inexperienced diver.
At the beginning of the film, we see the divers who say they are determined to find the bell and believe in their success. However, later we see that those searches no longer become the central task, other questions are raised. “We started the film as a search for a bell, but later I began to understand that I was looking for something else,” said the director.
The problem is not that we forget, the problem is that we forget to remember.
He says he realized that it’s not so much about whether the bell is found, but whether we still remember it. And what will happen when the last person forgets this legend?
“The problem is not that we forget, the problem is that we forget to remember,” said A. Stonys.
Lessons learned
One of the main themes in this film is faith. We see one woman who claims that there is no bell at the bottom, that it is just a fairy tale. And another woman urges to find the penis anyway. “That woman who says she doesn’t believe – there is no bell, no colors in her life. A woman who believes lives a much more beautiful life,” said the director.
He himself said that faith is one of the most important things for him: “It would be extremely lonely without faith.”
However, he admitted that when he started looking for the bell, he later felt ashamed about it. Shame on the fact that, as a person of the 21st century, he still has to touch everything with his hands, check it. “The secret of this legend should remain at the bottom of the lake”, – he named one of the most important lessons learned.
A scary, risky journey
The director also talked about the intricacies of creating a film documentary. According to A.Stonis, the advantage of this genre is that its creators can travel to an area where more than just facts exist. However, at the same time, documentary filmmakers experience constant uncertainty, the realization that their projects will not necessarily succeed. “It’s a scary, risky journey, with no guarantees that you’ll get a result,” said A. Stonys.
But at the same time rewarding with unexpected discoveries, insights, and knowledge. One viewer asked – why are all the bell ringers shown in the film female, not a single male?
A. Stonys says that he visited many churches in Lithuania, and everywhere he found bell ringers were only women. Then it was explained to him that this is an old tradition – women help a man come into the world, women see him out. Because bells have always signaled the death of someone.
The retrospective of A.Stonis’ works in Paris will continue until November 18. This project is part of the Lithuanian season in France 2024.
The journalist’s 15-minute trip to Paris was paid for by the Lithuanian Institute of Culture. This does not affect the content of the text.
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The same time, creating documentaries can be a scary and risky journey. The unpredictability of real-life situations means that filmmakers often face unexpected challenges that can change the course of their projects. A. Stonys mentioned that while filming at the depths of Lake Plateliai, he had to confront his fears and limitations as a diver.
He emphasized that documentary filmmaking often involves stepping into the unknown, where one must remain open to what unfolds rather than rigidly adhering to a preconceived script. This fluidity often allows for more authentic storytelling, as the essence of reality can lead to surprising insights and connections that surpass the initial intent.
A. Stonys articulated a philosophical view on the act of filmmaking, suggesting that it mirrors life itself—not everything can be controlled or predicted. Just like in life, the most profound moments often come when least expected. His reflections resonate with audiences as they witness a blending of art and reality, unveiling deeper layers of meaning behind the stories told through his lens.
As the retrospective concluded, A. Stonys expressed gratitude towards the French audience for their engagement and thoughtful discussions. He lauded their ability to delve into the layers of his work, acknowledging that such interactions enrich both the filmmaker’s experience and the viewers’ understanding. Through this retrospective in Paris, the unique voice of Lithuanian cinema and its mysterious allure were celebrated, reinforcing the interconnection between art and culture.