directed by Alante Kavaite, drama, 88 min, eng subtitles
written by Alante Kavaite
with Julija Steponaityte, Aiste Dirziute, Jurate Sodyte, Martynas Budraitis
The Summer of Sangaile, a feature by Paris-based Lithuanian filmmaker Alantė Kavaitė, tells the sensuous and poetic coming-of-age story of two 17-year old girls, Sangailė and Aistė. Sangailė has a passion for stunt-flying but suffers from paralysing vertigo. She is spending her summer holidays with her parents in a modern countryside villa, while Aistė has a part-time summer job at a local power plant canteen reminiscent of a stylised Soviet eatery of the early 70s. The two girls meet at a local air show. Before long, the teenagers delve into a romance and Sangailė shares with Aistė her most intimate secret. Will their friendship help her overcome her fear of flying?
The film, portraying a roller-coaster of passion, impulses and emotions, is enhanced by its picturesque scenery; the director claims to have written the film through scenery, rather than dialogue. Boasting impressive cinematic vision and sensitivity in an interesting mélange of stylistic influences coming from film history and Kavaitė’s personal fingerprint, The Summer of Sangailė was the first ever Lithuanian film to compete at Sundance FF, where it won the Best Directing Award.
Awards
Sundance FF 2015 (Best Directing Award)
Silver Crane, Lithuanian Film Awards 2015 (Best Film, Best Leading Actress, Best Art Direction)
With the support of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs