Director Giedrė Žickytė moves to Russia with her husband and son: “Our families face many challenges” | Names

On May 4, the husband of G.Žickytė E.Bajarūnas left Lithuania to establish himself in a new post in Russia: he was appointed Lithuanian ambassador there. Then, when the husband is ready to leave when the borders of the countries are opened, he is not too worried, it is another step in a life full of surprises.

“It is clear that this is a challenge for me, obviously it is not easy, but I try not to think about it, because it is as it is now.” Simply by accepting such changing circumstances in life, our families face many challenges, especially for my son, who, like many teenagers, is not happy about that. It is very difficult to say how it will all be, but it is my husband’s job and I am ready to support him just as he supports me everywhere all the time, “says G.Žickytė.

The interlocutor jokes that this trip to a foreign country is essentially symbolic for her. Giedrė herself was born in Moscow, because her parents were studying there at the time, so she spent the first years of her life in Russia.

“After that, I only came back to Moscow when I was filming” Master and Tatiana. “Exactly 30 years after birth. This time I really saw Moscow,” says the woman, adding that she was also in St. Petersburg, where she showed her film.

G.Žickytė remembers an interesting moment from his childhood right here. It turns out that when she returned to Lithuania, her parents bought antique furniture from an apartment in Moscow, some of which seemed to accidentally end up with her later.

“Since there was more interesting furniture in the Soviet era, my parents bought some of their things from the owner: a sideboard, a sofa, a lamp … Well, so that there would be antiques and more beautiful things in the house.” When we had already moved into the new house, the parents thought that the lamp would fit in our new house and gave it away. So I didn’t even know that life would take us to Moscow later. Right now, that Russian lamp is hanging with us, one after which, you can say, I was born, ”recalls one woman coincidences.

They are very supportive of the family.

Now that the director will still have to return to the dead roads, she says that she is also ready to try life in another country. “I knew behind my husband’s diplomat that one day or another this situation would happen and that we would go somewhere.” It wasn’t a clear sky storm, I was morally prepared for it, not a surprise, “she says.

It would seem strange that a woman so advanced in her career suddenly shot elsewhere, just looking at the interests of her loved one. That is not the case, says the interlocutor. It is rather a return to the years when man strongly supported her and was reconciled to her enormous employment:

“My husband is very supportive, I really like him. I never heard any reproach that I was a criminal on the second day of Christmas to say that I don’t have time now because something has to be set up.

Now I understand that it will be different, I have to take into account his new job and its details … I don’t know what awaits me there, but I will need to support it, it will also require my energy. Somehow it will have to be combined with creative activity. “

The woman admits that this change will be very great for her. Having traveled extensively in the past, he now promises to cut down on flights abroad.

“I thought about how tired I was of flying … Carrying everything from one suitcase to another. I realized that my whole life was about traveling. Well, now it will be different, the man leaves, probably I will not be able to run with the head lost as before ”, considers G. Žickytė.

I have never heard from her husband any of her complaints or accusations about my creative things that we are not going anywhere, we are not going to do something because I need to work. As a result, I also accept the current appointment of a man in another country as a stage in which we will adjust our established normal life.

In this context, the family has even decided to allow themselves a small and luxurious “luxury”.

“We decided to buy a dog. My son had wanted a pet for a long time, and with my lifestyle it was impossible to have it. But since that is changing now, we have planned a dog. To make me completely stable: I have already risen, I have already spoken ”, laughs the interlocutor.

True, according to the director, such changes are almost natural, because even if you want to lift your wings somewhere, it would be impossible to do so now. In addition, the pandemic significantly adjusted activities in his work area, so part of the work was stopped in any case.

“I already finished my last movie, Leap, with whom I worked for five years. I put a lot of work, love, time, the man was also very supportive. Even when we were talking about the holidays, he still had to work,” laughs the interlocutor. . – And now we could work, but there is quarantine, and my husband will have a lot of work. But I am very happy to have finished the film so far. It will only have to be released. On the other hand, it is good because I will be able to reorient myself. “

G. Žickytė says he understands that in Russia he will face new responsibilities, but in this case he doesn’t want to be selfish, just think about his career and his movies.

“I never heard from my husband any of his complaints or accusations about my creative things that we are not going anywhere, we are not doing something because I need to work. As a result, I also accept the current appointment of a man in another country as a stage in which we will adjust our established normal life. But I really can’t imagine what awaits me, “admits the director.

I recently had to be in Toronto, where one of the largest documentary forums in the world would be held. For the first time, a project with a Lithuanian author was selected there

Getting out of creativity doesn’t promise

While it may turn out that, lo and behold, one of the country’s foremost creators is already determined to radically change his life, the director is in a hurry to emphasize that the changes will have little effect on creation. It is true that some activities the director will have to resign. What happens during projects? The interviewee is not yet ready to respond.

“I will have to give up a lot of what I had started doing here. But I have many people around me to whom I can delegate part of the work. We have agreed on everything, “he says.

After all, as G. Žickytė claims, Moscow is neither geographically nor culturally too far from Lithuania. So he says keep coming back here. “It just came to our notice then I’m going to Africa. It will be necessary to present the film also in Lithuania, it will not be so difficult to return and work ”, says Giedrė.

In addition, the availability of works is facilitated by the fact that some of the meetings and projects have been relocated to online spaces due to significant changes in the film industry due to quarantine. The director mentions that she recently attended an important event in this way.

“I recently had to be in Toronto, where one of the world’s largest documentary forums would be held. For the first time, a project with a Lithuanian author was selected there. The event needed to present the idea of ​​the new movie he was making. This forum is made up of all the great players, Netflix, the BBC, all the studios, all the distributors. And they watch what comes out. In total, only 20 projects out of 1000 applications are selected, making this a really big and important event. So, he had to be there, talking in such a large room. And now everything is happening online“, – the difference is named by G.Žickytė.

Due to changing circumstances, the woman says she had a lot of headaches, like when she was told to make an introductory video. Both Giedrė and his French producer had to film, since they would speak on the forum. Adjusting to the specified duration was also important.

It seems that here, after all, is not the first presentation, it is part of the industry, Giedrė initially thought.

“But still, when you are standing, talking to the audience, it is completely different: you are also excited, but you feel that vibration, you communicate, and it is very important, because other meetings and interests in the project depend on that presentation.” It is like pre-advertising in the search for partners, “emphasizes the interlocutor.

Still, doing all the technical work turns out to be not that simple. “You know, I wasted a lot of time! I was wondering what the background should be, how to speak convincingly. My French producer has experience, she even has an Oscar, such an old wolf. He also said, “I spent 4 hours recording those two minutes,” laughs G. Žickytė, remembering.

So now I want to meet friends, parents, people I love, hug them … It’s scary to think that I won’t be able to do that. But at the same time, I try to imagine how this will happen the first time.

Apparently, going to Toronto would have been faster than adjusting to a world that has lost human contact, the director now thinks.

Another aspect of the event has changed due to quarantine. As was the custom in the forum before, everyone gathered to discuss live projects, but this year this option is no longer possible. Still, the director sees positives in him.

“Those meetings were very intense: it extends to one table, to another, to many people, projects. Everyone comes together, there is a lot of competition, many ideas. Everything is very busy. And now? Now we put everything together in May, we all share when We want. This will allow you to communicate with, for example, Netflix from your home. Perhaps the child or dog of that representative will come to the camera, “the woman imagines the funny situations that may arise.” The most important thing is that everyone does not have rush. In the past, everyone was in a hurry, they couldn’t find time for anyone, “he adds.

There is uncertainty in the film industry.

Temporarily moving meetings to social media doesn’t seem like a big deal. But what about filming, theaters, and everything this industry really maintains? G.Žickytė states that he does not have an answer to the question of who imagines this field.

“The situation is even more troubling, even more challenging. I don’t know, now I finished the film, as if we had plans for a festival, another festival, and everything is canceled, all events … But I can’t complain, because for most of the world, all plans collapsed. This is like the representatives of other professions, we also face it ”, says the director.

That is why a woman says that she cannot predict anything. According to her, as in other areas, people here are severely confused. “It just came to our attention then. See how many movies can’t be released that have already been completed,” says G. Žickytė.

In addition to “Jump”, Giedrė also completed one of his films: director Marija Stonytė’s debut feature film “Gentle Warriors”. It was scheduled for release this year.

“Now we are heading to next year, where there will be a lot of other movies waiting to be made as well. It is like a dam. What will happen when that dam explodes? What will it be like? How far will everyone have to sit in the cinema ? I really can’t imagine what you are waiting for, but now it is, “says the interlocutor.

It is very nice to me that people began to help each other, to share. Humanity is emerging all the time in the face of major disasters. It is shocking to experience what is real, what is good, what is beauty

In the face of adversity, he sees the unity of the people.

Speaking to Giedre, it seems that she suffers much more than the crisis in her field of work due to the suffering that has swept the world, which is extremely difficult to reduce. The woman describes the coronavirus pandemic as a major shock.

“I am talking about a complex shock: each in his own way. Is this an economic shock? Yes of course. I am trying to imagine a family that has its own restaurant, and that is their only income. And suddenly all this happens. .. And there are two young children sitting at home, who also have lessons, they need to learn remotely … There are many things that cause tension in society “, describes the current situation.

G.Žickytė herself says that during this period she missed everything more, not parties, trips or anything else, but human contact.

“So now I want to meet friends, parents, people I love, hug them … It’s scary to think that I won’t be able to do that.” But at the same time I try to imagine how this will happen the first time, “he does not lose hope.

It is true, even during Easter, the director tried to get out of the situation. Not wanting to lose touch with his parents, he celebrated them through the Zoom app.

“I didn’t tell my parents that I was recording everything, and then I sent them the entire video. The parents said they reviewed our conversation twice more at night. And at Easter we prepared to eat, at Zoom we showed what we were eating: rabbit meat, and here we were eating it. After all, the most important thing is the human connection, “said Giedrė.

Faced with quarantine, the director also saw the other positive side: a drastic change in people’s behavior and perceptions.

“It is very good for me that people started helping and sharing. Humanity is emerging all the time in the face of major disasters. It is shocking to experience what is real, what is good, what is beauty. Isn’t it? example, when everyone is attacking each other to help each other, supporting the doctors … Even the tears accumulate in their eyes when they see that the streets of New York are completely empty, an ambulance passes by them and everyone claps underneath from the windows. Or how the Italians sing to each other from the balconies … We would never have felt this if it had not been for the disaster that has happened to humanity, “said my interlocutor.

G.Žickytė also emphasizes the sense of unity that emerged during the pandemic. After all, for the common good, many had to limit their needs, for example, to go outside with a mask, unpleasant as it may be.

“We all sit at home, limiting our needs and what, the number of those diseases decreased. We have limited our needs for the common good. We did not think about these things four months ago,” she says.

According to the director, people’s creativity also played an important role during the disaster. They are looking for ways to solve problems or focus well on each other in an attempt to make them smile.

“Look what creative people! The way they express themselves on the Internet, for example, is to try to imitate big pictures while at home … However, people come up with something. It seems to me that the most important thing in such situations is not to give up and think about what to do, ”says G.Žickytė.

After all, a woman encourages remembering the “banal” truth: it is not for nothing that everyone is so tired here, because the most important thing is health. That, he said, we could now understand very well.

“I remember the performance of Oskaras Koršunovas” Be There. “As they say, is there anything that can change the world order? There is a little mouse. In this case, it is an invisible virus that no one can catch … No one could have foreseen it, it is as in a futuristic setting, “says the interlocutor.

It is still very strange to watch movies now, there people meet, hug, walk together. Inside, somehow you start to see things differently

In part, that little mouse has changed our daily life in such a way that many ordinary things become unrecognizable to us strangers, my director: “It is still very strange to watch movies now, there people meet, hug, walk together. Inside, somehow you start to see things differently. It is difficult to reflect on how everything is happening. “

According to the director, in general, it is difficult to reflect on the world now because any reflection is possible only after a time, when everything has settled in memory.

“And now we are in a state of intermediate shock, because we can’t see much of that.” But if you can’t see what it is like, you just accept it as it is. Well, now it is so. Which of the following, if you are terrible now, do you think would do this or that now? Yes, it is a difficulty, a challenge, but at the same time it is our unification “, – the interviewee concludes the conversation.