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Director of photography and national award winner Jan V. Tomaševičius called J. Gricius his “teacher and best friend”.
“He was already making a cinema and I was working for him as an assistant. He took care of me, he did not let me lose sight of it and he knew everything. Then he taught at the academy, where his many students came from, who still make great films,” he said. .
If he promised, he always kept his word, JVTomaševičius recalled. The interlocutor recalled the situation when he was offered to make a film and went to ask J.Gricius for advice. “He said,” John, take it! “Because there may not be another moment. When I was filming, he kept looking, looking, helping work with the material.”
Photo from Wikipedia / Jan Vitoldas Tomaševičius
S.Kairys: “Lithuania has lost a truly talented, professional and masterful cinematographer”
The Ministry of Culture also expressed its condolences:
“J.Gricius, who has worked with the best Lithuanian directors, has been dedicated to cinema for more than four decades; This is where the films included in the Lithuanian Cinema Gold Fund were born. Jonas Gricius not only laid the foundations for Lithuanian film poetics, but also maintained the highest standards of his profession throughout his life.
Both former cinematographers and young filmmakers strive to reach the heights to which the master has elevated the art of cinema. Lithuania has lost a truly talented, professional and masterful cinematographer, whose works capture timeless cinema, ”says Culture Minister Simonas Kairys.
Photo by Luke April / 15min / Simon Kairys
R.Oginskaitė: he was also a great writer
Film critic, journalist and writer Rūta Oginskaitė says that J.Gricius’ memories are the most wonderful.
“It just came to our knowledge then. Whenever I had to write about film history, he was the most interesting and generous interlocutor. The most generous in several ways: after talking to him, I came out drunk with happiness. He is a hospitable man. It’s good to remember, “said R. Oginskaitė.
J.Gricius began his film career in 1952, when his first film was made.
“Gricius came to the film studio at a time when many Russian-speaking artisans were expelled from other Soviet studios. And Gricius, along with Žalakevičius, Vabalas, Žebriūnas were one of the first professionals of Lithuanian cinema,” said R Oginskaitė.
Photo by Vidmantas Balkūnas / 15min / Rūta Oginskaitė
J. Gricius was not only a cinematographer, but also a good writer; After leaving the cinema, he wrote memories: “There is a very good book,“ Memories ”by Gricius. I quoted a lot from her in my book on Žebriūnas. “
J.Gricius’s short film “Living Heroes” has become internationally recognized. His works include Steps at Night (1962) and Stairs to Heaven (1966) by Raimondas Vabalas, Last Day of Holidays (1965) by Arūnas Žebriūnas, Nobody Wanted to Die by Vytautas Žalakevičius (1965) and others.
Grigory Kozincev, one of the most famous directors in the Soviet Union, also appreciated Gricius’ talent and invited him to the Lenfilm film studio, where J.Gricius filmed “Donkichot” in 1957 and “Hamlet” in 1964.
One of the cinematographer’s adventures is a conflict with actress Elizabeth Taylor. In 1976, J.Gricius filmed the movie “Blue Bird” (directed by J.Kiukoras, F.Jang), which was supposed to reflect the friendship between the USSR and the United States, and the famous actress played her mother in it. .
And she wanted to look like Cleopatra. And Gricius refused to film. There was the biggest conflict. All of Gricius’s adventures and filming are described in his books. There is both a behind-the-scenes cinema and a creative process. Also the atmosphere of the film studio, the customs, ”said R. Oginskaitė.
J.Gricius retired from the world of cinema at the beginning of independence, like other professionals of the time.
This is in his book “Žebriūnas. Defaults and Paradoxes ”is also described by R.Oginskaitė. It was a difficult time for these greats of Lithuanian cinema: Lithuanian cinema did not receive funding, the cinema itself changed, various producers appeared, so it was difficult to adapt to the new era.
G.Nausėda: “This is an exceptional phenomenon of Lithuanian culture”
The President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, also expressed his condolences.
“We will remember J.Gricius as a virtuoso of cinematographic art and aesthetics, who contributed significantly to the development of the Lithuanian film school, complementing the golden barn of Lithuanian cinema. His life and creative activity is an exceptional phenomenon of Lithuanian culture, “said the president.
J.Gricius has created the aesthetics of many films that have become classics of Lithuanian cinema, some of the most striking are “Nobody Wanted to Die”, “The Last Holiday Day” or “Journey to Paradise”. After spending many years in pedagogical work, teaching at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater, he developed a new generation of Lithuanian cinematographers. He has also written several autobiographical books, translated works on the art of filming.
The President expresses his deepest condolences to the relatives of J.Gricius, the Lithuanian film community and the fans of his work.
R.Paukštytė: Definitely one of the earliest film personalities
Film critic Rasa Paukštytė says that Jonas Gricius is first and foremost synonymous with the Lithuanian School of Cinematography. And of course, he is definitely one of the earliest film personalities – the beginning of the Lithuanian film school is associated with his name.
“He filmed the short story“ The Last Shot ”by A.Žebriūnas and H.Šablevičius, which won many honors and awards and made famous the emerging direction of professional Lithuanian poetic cinema. Without the dominance of Gricius, the birth of poetic cinema in Lithuania is unimaginable.
Photo by Julius Kalinskas / 15min / Film critic Rasa Paukštytė
In the seventies, which is called the golden decade of Lithuanian cinema, Jonas Gricis possesses probably the most vivid images in cinema, related to attempts to express, represent Lithuanian identity and Lithuanian film culture.
Expressive and dynamic driving through the swamps in R.Vabalas “Stairs to heaven”, mythological spaces V.Žalakevičius “Nobody wanted to die”, Vika in the phone booth of A.Žebriūnas “The last days of vacation”. These are the most memorable takes of that decade, ”said R. Paukštytė.
R.Paukštytė remembers J.Gricius as a great and wise interlocutor who shared his memories in a very voluntary, generous and open way.
J.Gricius constantly worked in cinema, and without him Lithuanian cinema is unimaginable: “I will never forget his answer and certain messages. He said that our good decade ended when everyone in the Lithuanian film studio started a war and intrigue about who had the right to make a movie. “
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