New Nordic Films in Haugesund puts Baltic Cinema in Focus

This year, the Baltic countries will receive a special focus at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund. At a dedicated industry event, two new Lithuanian projects – Flood and I’m Going to Change the World – will be presented, while one of the festival programs will screen the recently premiered film Renovation.

The Baltic focus aims to build long-term connections between the film industries of the Baltic and Nordic countries, expand co-production opportunities, and facilitate the exchange of professional knowledge.

This year, New Nordic Films, the festival’s industry segment, will welcome around 30 professionals from the Baltic countries, including representatives of production companies, festivals, distributors, and state institutions, who will participate in discussions and various networking events.

“The Baltic focus at Haugesund is a highly anticipated initiative, reflecting the natural closeness of our regions both culturally and geographically. For Lithuania, it is a significant opportunity to deepen partnerships with trusted Nordic partners while highlighting our unique advantages, such as flexible funding tools and internationally recognized creators. Joint projects like Vytautas Katkus’ The Visitor clearly demonstrate that this collaboration fosters the creation of truly bold and distinctive cinema,” says Jana Mikulevič, Head of Film Promotion, Information and Heritage at the Lithuanian Film Centre.

For the special event showcasing the latest Baltic projects in development, six films were selected, including two works by Lithuanian directors: Flood (dir. Jorūnė Greičiūtė) and I’m Going to Change the World (dir. Inesa Kurklietytė).

In Greičiūtė’s first feature, a couple vacationing on a secluded island hears a rumor about an approaching flood. As fear and unease grip woman’s heart, it becomes harder and harder to maintain a harmonious relationship with her man. The film’s producers are Rūta Petronytė and Justinas Pocius (Smart Casual), with co-producer Peter Krupenin (Hobab, Sweden).

I’m Going to Change the World centers on 11-year-old Luka, who lives in a big city and dreams of changing the imperfect world. As she embarks on adventures fueled by her imagination, she realizes that true change begins not by fighting enemies, but through her own choices. This is Kurklietytė’s second film for children, produced together with Živilė Gallego (Fralita Films).

One of the selected Estonian projects is Beatrice (dir. Vallo Toomla), a co-production between Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, and Finland. The Lithuanian co-producer is Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė (Just a Moment). The film is set in the near future, heavily affected by climate change, where the consciousness of a woman who died in a car accident is transferred to a new body.

Meanwhile, in the festival program Nordic Focus, Gabrielė Urbonaitė’s film Renovation will be screened. The film had its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in early July.

Renovation follows 29-year-old Ilona, who moves into a seemingly perfect new apartment with her boyfriend. However, when the building’s renovation begins and she unexpectedly befriends a Ukrainian construction worker named Oleg, her carefully imagined vision of life at thirty starts to crack – much like the crumbling plaster around her.

Renovation is a co-production between Lithuania, Latvia, and Belgium. It is produced by Uljana Kim (Studio Uljana Kim) in Lithuania, with co-producers Alise Rogule (Mima Films) and Kristian Van der Heyden (Harald House).

The Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund will take place from 16 to 22 of August. The Baltic focus is organized in collaboration with the Lithuanian Film Centre, the National Film Centre of Latvia, and the Estonian Film Institute.

On the cover – a still from Flood.