Toxic

Akiplėša

TIFF65: Greek Premiere

In a smashing debut that defies all sorts of stereotypes around bodily (and embodied) representations, the question of inclusion, and the Western gaze on the specters of the Iron Curtain, a young Lithuanian filmmaker presents a visceral, visionary work that swept the awards in the latest Locarno IFF. Abandoned by her mother, 13-year-old Maria is forced to live with her grandmother in a bleak industrial town. During a violent clash on the street, Maria meets Kristina, a girl of the same age, striving to become a fashion model. In a bid to get closer to her, Maria enrolls in a mysterious modeling school, where the girls are preparing for the biggest casting event in the region. Her ambiguous relationship with Kristina and the intense, cult-like environment of the modeling school launch Maria on a quest to discover her own identity. A daring defense of the positionality of Eastern Europe, femininity, and youth, against the challenges of our era.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Saulė Bliuvaitė

Script: Saulė Bliuvaitė

Cinematography: Vytautas Katkus

Editing: Ignė Narbutaitė

Music: Gediminas Jakubka

Actors: Ieva Rupeikaitė, Vesta Matulytė, Giedrius Savickas, Vilma Raubaitė, Eglė Gabrėnaitė

Production: Akis bado

Producers: Giedrė Burokaitė

Production Design: Paulius Aničas

Format: DCP

Color: Color

Production Country: Lithuania

Production Year: 2024

Duration: 100'

Contact: Bendita Film Sales

Awards/Distinctions: Golden Leopard, Swatch First Feature Award, Ecumenical Prize, Junior Jury Award Second Prize - Locarno 2024

Saulė Bliuvaitė

Born in 1994, film director and screenwriter Saulė Bliuvaitė graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre's Film Directing program in 2018. Her recent short film Limousine received the Best Short Documentary award at the Warsaw Film Festival. Saulė is the co-writer and co-editor of the historical drama Isaac, nominated for a FIPRESCI prize at the 2020 European Film Awards. Toxic is her debut feature film.