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About
Filmmaker Gabrielė Urbonaitė posts about her work and fields of interest.
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Happy to share that BACK (NAMO) was awarded Special Jury Mention for “its cinematic language, sense of city space and relevant topic” at the Student Competition of the 21st Vilnius International Film Festival “Kino Pavasaris”. It screened in both Student Competition and Short Competition among other shorts from Eastern and Central Europe. The lead actress Severija Bielskytė was nominated for Best Lithuanian Film Actress of the Year for her role of Ieva. Thanks to “Kino Pavasaris” for a wonderful time!
Some moments from the premiere:
 
Q&A after one of the screenings with actors Severija Bielskytė and Šarūnas Zenkevičius:
In addition to that, BACK was nominated for Best Student Film at National Lithuanian Film Awards “Silver Crane” (“Sidabrinė gervė”). The Award Ceremony will take place on May 27th in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Some press about the film below (in Lithuanian):
“Namo” recenzijos
Severijos interviu laidoje “Man 20-keli”
Severijos interviu apie filmą ir vaidybą
Mano interviu apie filmą laidoje “Ryto allegro”
Press release about the Lithuanian films awards ceremony at “Kino Pavasaris”
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My latest short BACK (NAMO) will have its national premiere at the 21st Vilnius International Film Festival “Kino Pavasaris” where it will screen at the Short Competition among other excellent shorts from Eastern and Central Europe. The festival takes place in Vilnius, Lithuania from March 31st until April 14th.
BACK follows Ieva, 22, who comes back to her hometown Vilnius from Hollywood only to find out how much both the city and its people have changed.
Severija Bielskytė as Ieva
Press release about the competition programmes
Pranešimas spaudai apie konkursines programas
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This summer, I shot my thesis film, BACK (NAMO) with a wonderful crew and cast in my native Vilnius, Lithuania.
BACK is a short narrative about Ieva, a 22-year-old actress who comes back to Vilnius from Hollywood, and during her first night at home realizes how much both the city and its people have changed.
Ieva is played by Severija Bielskytė, also starring Šarūnas Zenkevičius, Viola Klimčiauskaitė, Eglė Lekstutytė, Petras Kuneika, Dainius Jankauskas, Aistė Diržiūtė, and Vytautas Rašimas.
The production of BACK was supported by everyone who donated on our crowdfunding campaign, Marcia Robbins-Wilf Seed Grant, Baltic Film Services, ProRent, and Arclight. The post-production BACK is supported by the Princess Grace Film Award.
Here are some behind-the-scenes photos by the extremely talented photographer Justė Urbonavičiūtė / justesmwhr
And here’s the first still:
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My short “Goodbye” is at Short Film Corner of the Cannes International Film Festival this year.
If you’re not in Cannes, you can watch it here.
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My newest project in-development, BACK, is selected to Berlinale Talents – Short Film Station, taking place on February 6-12th in Berlin, Germany.
BACK is a short drama about an aspiring actress Ieva who comes back to her hometown Vilnius from Hollywood and discovers that both the city and its people have changed. During her first twelve hours at home, Ieva sees her mom and friends who project their false expectations on her, picturing Ieva as a successful actress and America as the land of opportunity. Only to Tadas, her ex-boyfriend, Ieva reveals about her struggle in the U.S.
Confirmed production company – Apricot Films (producers Ieva Bužinskaitė and Jonas Špokas).
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Goodbye (2014), a short film that I directed, was selected for Student Filmmaker Awards Audience Choice Tournament and made it to TOP 32. Thank you everyone who voted!
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“Goodbye” is the last short (7 min) narrative film that I directed. Made at Emerson College, it tells a story of two people their last morning together.
Watch Goodbye here
“Goodbye” screened at Emerson Film Festival on March 22, 2015 and was selected to Short Film Corner at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival.
Cast:
JD Achille & Matt Fagerberg
Crew:
Producer / Assistant Director – Ted Keffer
Director – Gabriele Urbonaite
Director of Photography – Louis Weissman
Editor / Sound Designer – Shannon Swartz
Production Designer – Anna Kuo
Writer – Alexandra Dews
Gaffer – Mark Woit
Key Grip – Jabari Canada
Associate Producer – Emily Barger
Assistant Camera – Matt Shanafelt
Grip / Electric – Joey McManus & Taylor Kissin
Boom Operator / Assistant Sound Editor – Ben Coflan
Color Correction – David Franzo
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The Swimmer is my newest project (currently in post-production).
It is a story about small and big fears, friendship, and passion for swimming, stronger than anything.
It is a short fiction about a 10 years old Grete, a cheerful and imaginative girl, who starts swimming lessons. In the swimming pool, she meets a Ariel (19), a professional swimmer, who was brought to the pool by her father, swimming coach, at the age of 4. Despite the age difference, two become friends, as Ariel helps Grete to overcome her fear of jumping into the water. However, Ariel has a leg ache that is getting more and more painful…
The Swimmer on Facebook
Watch our trailer
IMDb Page
Crew:
Written and Directed by Gabrielė Urbonaitė
Produced by Justinas Piliponis / Pilou Films
Director of Photography Saulius Lukoševičius
Editing by Nicolas Houver
Music by Pablo Pico
Sound Design by Joseph Fiorillo
Sound Recording by Jonas Jocys
Production Design by Aistė Jakimavičiūtė
Art by Lina Galeckaitė
Color Correction by Andrėj Poležajev
Cast:
Eglė Valadkevičiūtė as Ariel
Ugnė Beleckaitė as Grete
Petras Kuneika as Jonas
Dainius Gavenonis as Antanas
Viktorija Kuodytė as Jonas and Grete’s Mother
Sonata Visockaitė as Coach
We also shot a promo clip to fundraise our movie. Even though we didn’t reach our goal on Indiegogo, you can watch the clip and get the sense of The Swimmer‘s aesthetics.
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In Spring 2011, I was producer and co-writer of a short fiction film “On the Road” (Pakeliui), directed by young perspective filmmaker Klaudija Matvejevaite. It tells a story of two friends going to a music festival and discovering each other from new. So-called ‘road movie’ was made in Skalvija Film Academy.
Official selection to Kyiv International Short Film Festival (section Go East), Ukraine, 2012.
Third place in short film festival “Following Jonas Mekas”, Lithuania, 2011.
On the Road on Vimeo
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The Path is a short fiction film made in CRLS (Cambridge Rindge and Latin) high school’s Media Class, in Spring 2010. Meghan (M.Goodman) is a hard-working high-school student who plans her future in detail. One day, her worldview changes because of a French guy Michel (R.Teil) who appears on her doorstep. A walk around Boston, full of funny misunderstandings caused by cultural differences, lead them to the new friendship.
watch The Path on Vimeo
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The Observer (Stebetojas) is my latest short fiction film. Made in “Skalvija” Film Academy, 2011, it shows a story of a boy who has a habit to observe his neighbors. One evening, he notices an attempt to commit a suicide, and decides to rescue the victim.
The Observer on Vimeo
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Once Upon a Time in the Summer (Karta Vasara) is my short fiction film that I shot in summer 2009. It is a story about a boy who visits his friend in the countryside. There he meets a mysterious girls whom he gets allergic to. In the end, he doesn’t know if this acquaintance was real at all.
Cast: Vytautas Katkus, Une Kaunaite, Jonas Kuklys, Nomeda Urboniene, Silvija Prakapaite, Severija Bielskyte, Dziuginta Daujotaite, Aurimas Zemaitis.
Crew: Gabriele Urbonaite (Director/Scripwriter/Editor), Dziugas Sema (Director of Photography), Marija Kavtaradze (Producer), Severija Bielskyte (Assistant)
 
 
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