Runner (2021 film)

Runner (Lithuanian: Bėgikė) is a Lithuanian film written and directed by Andrius Blaževičius, released in 2021.

This dramatic thriller explores the themes of self-sacrifice, love, and toxic relationships, realistically portraying 24 hours of a toxic relationship, which eventually contaminates the entire city of Vilnius, Lithuania, all within a chaotic and frenzied chase.

Plot
After her boyfriend Vytas (played by Marius Repšys) experiences a psychotic episode and disappears, Maria (portrayed by Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė) is determined to find and help him. Chasing every clue about his whereabouts, she embarks on a fast-paced odyssey through the city. Always one step behind and against all odds, she fights for both, her love and her freedom.

Cast

 * Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė as Marija
 * Marius Repšys as Vytas
 * Laima Akstinaitė as Ona
 * Vytautas Kaniušonis as Marija's Father
 * Viktorija Kuodytė as Marija's Mother
 * Valentinas Krulikovskis as Petras
 * Emilis Aškelovičius as Pranas
 * Lukas Malinauskas as Jonas
 * Indrė Patkauskaitė as Jūratė

Production
Runner is the second feature film by Andrius Blaževičius, marking his second collaboration with producer Marija Razgutė (M-Films) after The Saint in 2016.

Formerly titled Paralysis, Runner was produced by M-Films (Lithuania) in co-production with Bionaut (Czech Republic). The film was financed by the Lithuanian Film Centre during the scriptwriting, development, and production stages, as well as through tax incentives.

Filming took place in Lithuania in the city of Vilnius during the summer of 2019.

Reception
The film was generally well received by critics. It garnered 67% positive reviews based on 390 reviews collected, on the website IMDb and 3.4/5 stars for 350 votes on the website Letterboxd.