Vilnius International Film Festival

The Vilnius International Film Festival (VIFF) Kino pavasaris is a film festival held annually in March in Vilnius, Lithuania since 1995, and is the largest film festival in the nation in number of films and audience. It is one of the most anticipated annual cultural events in Lithuania.

Vilnius International Film Festival Kino Pavasaris is the biggest and most important cinema event in Lithuania. Over more than 20 years, the festival has become a highly attended cultural phenomenon. In 2017, it attracted 114 250 members of audience in 5 Lithuanian cities. This year, Vilnius IFF will take place in 11 cities over two weeks.

The festival's main venue is Forum Cinemas Vingis, with additional screenings taking place at the local art film theatre SKALVIJA, cinema boutique "Pasaka" and at the shopping mall "Akropolis" at "Forum Cinemas Akropolis". Some screenings are shown in the second largest city of Lithuania - Kaunas at local "Forum Cinemas" centre. And from 2018 Vilnius IFF took place in 11 cities over two weeks.

History
The festival was founded in 1995 at the cinema Lietuva. Festival director Vida Ramaškienė.

After the 2002 festival the venue Lietuva was sold to private investors. As a result, the festival did not happen in 2003.

In 2004 the festival got the first donation from the European Commission. Festival's programme becomes more independent and Edvinas Pukšta with Jurga Stakėnaitė started making festival's film programme.

In 2006 the festival changed its location to Forum Cinemas Vingis in Naujamiestis.

In 2018, Vilnius IFF presented 112 feature and 56 short films, including 12 Lithuanian premieres. Like always, the festival has selected strong debuts and works from masters of film. The large programme has been divided into 5 categories: Discoveries, Festivals' Favourites, Masters, Critics' Choice, and Competition of European Debuts.

Programmes
Since 2009, the festival's competition programmes have become our phenomenal calling card for international film industry professionals, and a great educational tool for festivalgoers. This year, films from debuting European directors will take part in the Competition of European Debuts.

Vilnius International Film Festival is organised in various sections:

Competition programmes:


 * New Europe – New Names (since 2009), the films are assessed by an international jury of cinema industry professionals: actors, directors, programme directors, cinematographers and producers. The jury selects the best film of the festival and awards it two special prizes.
 * Baltic Gaze (since 2014), the idea of this competition programme is to satisfy growing interest of Baltic region cinematography. The films are assessed by the international jury of the cinema industry professionals. The jury will select the best film of this programme and award it with solid monetary prize.

Other programmes:

2018 Vilnius IFF will also be the first Lithuanian festival to welcome members of the prestigious FIPRESCI association, who will award one director from the Baltic region their prize. The FIPRESCI Prize is significant proof of the festival's quality being recognized on an international level.
 * Short films. Competition
 * Discoveries
 * Festivals' favourites
 * Masters
 * Critics' choice
 * VIASAT comedies
 * Documentaries
 * Retrospective, each year a different director or/and a topic is selected.
 * American Independents
 * A Letter to Ukraine
 * Culinary films
 * Films for Family
 * Lithuanian films – premiers
 * Lithuanian films
 * Lithuanians Abroad
 * Short films

Industry event "Meeting Point – Vilnius"
International film industry professionals meet in Vilnius to discuss hot topics of today's and tomorrow's audiovisual world. The highlight of the industry event is the presentation of Lithuanian and Baltic film industry.

The Audience Award
The oldest and one of the most important award of VIFF.


 * 2004: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring, directed by Kim Ki-duk 🇰🇷
 * 2005: 3-Iron (Bin-jip), directed by Kim Ki-duk 🇰🇷
 * 2006: The Method, directed by Marcelo Piñeyro 🇦🇷
 * 2007: The Lives of Others, directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck 🇩🇪
 * 2008: 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days, directed by Cristian Mungiu
 * 2009: Camino, directed by Javier Fesser 🇪🇸
 * 2010: Departures, directed by Yōjirō Takita
 * 2011: Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve 🇨🇦
 * 2012: The Intouchables, directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano 🇫🇷
 * 2013: Searching for Sugar Man, directed by Malik Bendjelloul 🇸🇪
 * 2014: Omar, directed by Hany Abu-Assad 🇵🇸
 * 2015: Mommy, directed by Xavier Dolan 🇨🇦
 * 2016: Truman, directed by Cesc Gay 🇪🇸
 * 2017: Perfect Strangers, directed by Paolo Genovese 🇮🇹
 * 2018: Loving Vincent, directed by Dorota Kobiela 🇵🇱 and Hugh Welchman 🇬🇧
 * 2019: Capernaum, directed by Nadine Labaki 🇱🇧
 * 2020: Corpus Christi (Boże Ciało), directed by Jan Komasa 🇵🇱
 * 2021: Quo Vadis, Aida?, directed by Jasmila Žbanić 🇧🇦
 * 2022: The Worst Person in the World, directed by Joachim Trier 🇳🇴
 * 2023: The Eight Mountains, directed by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch 🇧🇪

The Audience Award (Lithuanian film)
Introduced in 2011.


 * 2011: Book smuggler, directed by Jonas Trukanas
 * 2012: The Last Day of the Honeymoon, directed by Rokas Eltermanas
 * 2013: The Swimmer, directed by Gabrielė Urbonaitė
 * 2014: The Invisible Front, directed by Vincas Sruoginis and Jonas Ohman
 * 2015: Life Is Sacred, directed by Andreas Dalsgaard, Nicolas Servide and Vivana Gomez
 * 2016: Junction, directed by Nathan Jurevicius
 * 2017: Woman and the Glacier, directed by Andrius Stonys
 * 2018: 100 Years Together, directed by Edita Kabaraitė
 * 2019: Summer Survivors, directed by Marija Kavtaradzė
 * 2015: – no award

The Audience Award (Short film)
Introduced in 2013.


 * 2013: Buzkashi Boys, directed by Sam French 🇺🇸
 * 2014: Kush, directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani 🇮🇳
 * 2015: – no award
 * 2016: Otto, directed by Marieke Blaauw, Joris Oprins , Job Roggeveen
 * 2017: Running Lights, directed by Gediminas Šiaulys 🇱🇹
 * 2018: Mother, directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen 🇪🇸
 * 2019: Family Unit, directed by Titas Laucius 🇱🇹
 * 2015: – no award

Short Film Competition
Best short film, selected by a jury from short competition programme. Introduced in 2012.


 * 2012: Beast (Csicka), directed by Attila Till 🇭🇺
 * 2013: The Whistle (Gwizdek), directed by Grzegorz Zariczny 🇵🇱
 * 2014: Pandas, directed by Matus Vizar 🇸🇰
 * 2015: Symphony No. 42, directed by Réka Bucsi 🇭🇺
 * 2016: Fear, directed by Michal Blaško 🇸🇰
 * 2017: Close Ties, directed by Zofia Kowalewska 🇵🇱
 * 2018: By The Pool, directed by Laurynas Bareiša 🇱🇹
 * 2019: In Between, directed by Samir Karahoda
 * 2020: Journey Through a Body, directed by Camille Degeye 🇫🇷

European Debut Competition
Introduced in 2018

Jury
 * 2018: Homayoun Ershadi, Audrius Stonys, Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė, Elad Samorzik, Kathleen Mclnnis
 * 2019: Cosima Finkbeiner, Eglė Vertelytė, Marcin Pienkowski, Mark Peranson, Takeo Hisamatsu
 * 2020: Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Evgeny Gusyatinskiy, Boyd van Hoeij, Jonas Holmberg, Katarzyna Sinarska

Best Actress
 * 2018: Darya Zhovner 🇷🇺, film Closeness
 * 2019: ?, film Journey To Mother's Room
 * 2020: Roxanne Scrimshaw 🇬🇧, Nichola Burley 🇬🇧, film Lynn + Lucy

Best Director
 * 2018: Bertrand Mandico 🇫🇷, film The Wild Boys
 * 2019: Zsófia Szilágyi 🇭🇺, film One Day
 * 2020: Fyzal Boulifa 🇬🇧, film Lynn + Lucy

Best Actor
 * 2018: Elliott Crosset Hove 🇩🇰, film Winter Brothers
 * 2019: Paulius Markevičius 🇱🇹, film Summer Survivors
 * 2020: Jérémie Laheurte 🇫🇷, Djanis Bouzyani 🇫🇷, Anthony Bajon 🇫🇷, film You Deserve a Lover

Best Film
 * 2018: Winter Brothers, directed by Hlynur Pálmason 🇩🇰
 * 2019: Ray & Liz, directed by Richard Billingham 🇬🇧
 * 2020: The Metamorphosis of Birds, directed by Catarina Vasconcelos 🇵🇹

CINEUROPE Prize
 * 2019: Animus Animalis (A Story About People, Animals And Things), directed by Aistė Žegulytė 🇱🇹
 * 2020: Nova Lituania, directed by Karolis Kaupinis 🇱🇹

Competition programme "New Europe – New Names"
Introduced 2009 - 2018 Retired The main awards at Vilnius International Film Festival. Introduced in 2009. Chosen by the international jury of the cinema industry professionals: actors, directors, programme directors, cinematographers and producers. The jury will select the best film of the festival and award it with two special prizes.

Best Film
 * 2009: The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner, directed by Stefan Kitanov 🇧🇬
 * 2010: Eastern Plays, directed by Kamen Kalev 🇧🇬
 * 2011: Outbound (Periferic), directed by Bogdan George Apetri
 * 2012: Courage, directed by Grzegorz Zgliński 🇵🇱
 * 2013: Loving (Miłość), directed by Slawomir Fabicki 🇵🇱
 * 2014: Japanese Dog, directed by Tudor Cristian Jurgiu
 * 2015: Koza, directed by Ivan Ostrochovský 🇸🇰
 * 2016 >1: I, Olga Hepnarová, directed by Petr Kazda 🇨🇿 and Tomáš Weinreb 🇨🇿
 * 2016 >2: Thirst, directed by Svetla Tsotsorkova 🇧🇬
 * 2017: The Last Family, directed by Ostatnia Rodzina 🇵🇱

Best Director Introduced 2009 - 2018 Retired
 * 2009: Javor Gardev 🇧🇬
 * 2010: - no award
 * 2011: - no award
 * 2012: Adrian Sitaru, film Best Intentions
 * 2013: Mira Fornay 🇸🇰, film My Dog Killer,
 * 2014: Levan Koguashvili, film Blind Dates (Brma paemnebi)
 * 2015: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy 🇺🇦, film The Tribe
 * 2016: Agnieszka Smoczyńska 🇵🇱, film The Lure
 * 2017: Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov 🇧🇬, film Glory,

Best Actors Introduced 2009 - 2018 Retired
 * 2009: Miki Manojlovic 🇷🇸, film The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner
 * 2010: Vlad Ivanov, film Police, Adjective
 * 2011: Bartu Kucukcaglayan 🇹🇷, film Majority
 * 2012 >1: Anjela Nedyalkova 🇧🇬, film Avé
 * 2012 >2: Ada Condeescu, film Loverboy
 * 2012 >3: Isidora Simijonovic 🇷🇸, film Clip
 * 2013: Dan Chiorean, film Rocker
 * 2014: Actor: Igor Samobor 🇸🇰, film Class Enemy. Actress: Michaela Bendulova 🇸🇰, film Miracle
 * 2015: Actor: Márton Kristóf 🇭🇺, film Afterlife. Actress: Margita Gosheva 🇧🇬, film The Lesson
 * 2016: Actor: Uliks Fehmiu 🇷🇸, film Our Everyday Life. Actress: Monika Naydenova 🇧🇬, film Thirst
 * 2017: Actor: Marius Repšys 🇱🇹, film The Saint. Actress: Mia Petričević, film Quit Staring at My Plate

CICAE jury film award Introduced 2009 - 2018 Retired
 * 2009: - no award
 * 2010: Eastern Plays, directed by Kamen Kalev 🇧🇬
 * 2011: On the Path, directed by Jasmila Žbanić 🇧🇦
 * 2012: director Adrian Sitaru, film Best Intentions
 * 2013: Keep Smiling (Gaigimet), directed by Rusudan Chkonia
 * 2014: director Rok Biček 🇨🇿, film Class Enemy
 * 2015: Ivan Ostrochovský' 🇸🇰, film Koza
 * 2016: Mirjana Karanović' 🇷🇸, film A Good Wife
 * 2017: film Glory 🇧🇬

Special award
 * 2010: Protector, directed by Marek Najbrt 🇨🇿 (for creative excellence)
 * 2011: The House, directed by Zuzana Liová 🇸🇰

Competition programme "Baltic Gaze"
Introduced 2014 - 2018 Retired

Best Film
 * 2014: The Hope Factory, directed by Natalia Meshaninova 🇷🇺
 * 2015: Victoria, directed by Sebastian Schipper 🇩🇪
 * 2016: Under the Sun, directed by Vitaly Mansky 🇺🇦
 * 2017: Woman and the Glacier, directed by Andrius Stonys 🇱🇹

Best Director
 * 2014: Paweł Pawlikowski 🇵🇱, film Ida
 * 2015: Joshua Oppenheimer 🇺🇸, film The Look of Silence
 * 2016: Mantas Kvedaravičius 🇱🇹, film Mariupolis
 * 2017: Sergei Loznitsa 🇩🇪, film Austerlitz

Best Actor
 * 2014: Lauri Lagle 🇪🇪, film Free Range
 * 2015: Janusz Gajos 🇵🇱, film Body
 * 2016: Oleg Maximov 🇷🇺, film Don Juan
 * 2017: Petr Skvortsov 🇷🇺, film The Student

Best Actress
 * 2014: Alexandra Finder 🇩🇪, film The Police Officer's Wife
 * 2015: Bianca Kronlöf 🇸🇪-🇫🇮, film Underdog (Svenskjävel)
 * 2016: Trine Dyrholm, film The Commune
 * 2017: Lene Cecilia Sparrok 🇳🇴, film Sami Blood

Special mention
 * 2014: - no mention
 * 2015: Rocks in My Pockets directed by Signe Baumane 🇱🇻
 * 2016: Granny's Dancing on the Table directed by Hanna Sköld 🇸🇪
 * 2017: - no mention

Best Lithuanian Actress
Introduced by L'oreal Paris in 2007 as "Lithuanian star", discontinued after 2010. Revived in 2012 as "Best Lithuanian Actress" with new sponsor Bourjois.


 * 2007: Nelė Savičenko
 * 2008: Larisa Kalpokaitė
 * 2009: Gabija Ryškuvienė
 * 2010: Edita Užaitė
 * 2011: - no award
 * 2012: Toma Vaškevičiūtė
 * 2013: Valda Bičkutė
 * 2014: Jurgita Jurkutė
 * 2015: Aistė Diržiūtė
 * 2016: Viktorija Kuodytė

Best Lithuanian Actor
Introduced in 2014.


 * 2014: Giedrius Savickas
 * 2015: Marius Repšys
 * 2016: Juozas Budraitis

Lithuanian debut
Introduced in 2010.


 * 2010: Lernavan, directed by Marat Sargsyan
 * 2011: Barzakh, directed by Mantas Kvedaravičius
 * 2012: A Place We Call Home, directed by Albina Griniūtė
 * 2013: The Bomb, directed by Robertas Nevecka
 * 2014: The Etude, directed by Austėja Urbaitė
 * 2015: Fellow Travelers (Pakeliaiviai), directed by Linas Mikuta
 * 2016 - no award

Special award. Since 2013 award of Saulius Macaitis

 * 2012: Infinite Minutes (Vegtelen percek), directed by Cecilia Felméri 🇭🇺
 * 2013: No, directed by Pablo Larraín
 * 2014: Norte, the End of History, directed by Lav Diaz 🇵🇭
 * 2015: Timbuktu, directed by Abderrahmane Sissako undefined
 * 2016: The Pearl Button, directed by Patricio Guzmán

Special award for best film translations

 * 2014: Ieva Mažeikaitė and Goda Lūčiūnienė
 * 2015: Andrius Patiomkinas