Laurynas Bareiša

{{Infobox person

| name =

| image = Laurynas Bareiša light (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Bareiša lighting a scene for the 2023 film Slow

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|02|26}}

| birth_place = Kaunas, Lithuania

| death_date =

| death_place =

| other_names =

| occupation = Film director, cinematographer

| years_active =

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}}

Laurynas Bareiša (born February 26, 1988) is a Lithuanian filmmaker.{{cite web |title=Laurynas Bareiša |url=https://www.midpoint-institute.eu/en/person/laurynas-02SAJ5 |website=Midpoint Institute |access-date=19 August 2024}} After beginning his career as a cinematographer, he directed a series of short films followed by the feature films Pilgrims and Drowning Dry.{{cite web |title=Special Focus: Laurynas Bareiša |url=https://filmshorts.lt/en/festival-2022/programme-2022/special-programmes/special-focus-laurynas-bareisa/ |website=Vilnius Short Film Festival |access-date=19 August 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Hudson |first1=David |title=Lithuania Triumphs in Locarno |url=https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/8572-lithuania-triumphs-in-locarno |website=The Criterion Collection |access-date=19 August 2024}}

Early life and education

Bareiša was born in Kaunas, Lithuania. He earned bachelor's degrees in applied mathematics and cinematogaphy from Vilnius University and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, respectively. In 2016, he graduated with a master's degree in film directing.

Career

After serving for years as a cinematographer, Bareiša's 2014 directorial debut, the short film Dembava, was named one of the Top 5 Short Films of 2014 by Cineuropa. He directed the 2017 short films The Camel and By the Pool; the latter premiered in the Orizzonti section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival.{{cite web |title=By the Pool |url=https://filmshorts.lt/en/movie/by-the-pool/ |website=Vilnius Short Film Festival |access-date=19 August 2024}}

Bareiša's short film Caucasus premiered in the Pardi di Domani section of the 2018 Locarno Film Festival. His short film Dummy premiered at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival.{{cite web |last1=Roustan |first1=Céline |title=Akturimas |url=https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2021/02/03/akturimas-dummy/ |website=Short of the Week |access-date=19 August 2024}}

Bareiša's 2021 feature-length debut Pilgrims starred Gabija Bargailaite and

Giedrius Kiela as the brother and girlfriend of a murder victim.{{cite web |last1=Jovic |first1=Nikola |title=Pilgrims |url=https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/pilgrims-2021-film-review-by-nikola-jovic#google_vignette |website=Eye for Film |access-date=19 August 2024}} The film debuted at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Orizzonti prize. Pilgrims was nominated in 11 categories at the Lithuanian Film Awards. Bareiša won in three categories (Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay), while Giedrius Kiela won Best Actor.{{cite web |last1=Dalton |first1=Ben |title=Lithuania selects Venice 2021 Horizons winner ‘Pilgrims’ as Oscar entry (exclusive) |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/lithuania-selects-venice-2021-horizons-winner-pilgrims-as-oscar-entry-exclusive/5174603.article |website=Screen Daily |access-date=19 August 2024}}

In 2024, Bareiša's film Drowning Dry premiered in the Concorso Internazionale section of the 77th Locarno Film Festival in competition for the Golden Leopard. For the film, he was recognized with the festival's Best Direction Award while the principal cast received the Best Performance Award.{{cite web |title=Drowning Dry |url=https://www.locarnofestival.ch/festival/program/film.html?fid=2a89238f-c7f8-441e-941a-5e8fa17b8446&eid= |website=Locarno Film Festival |access-date=19 August 2024}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| English title ! scope="col" \| Original title ! scope="col" \| Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Ref.
scope="row" \| 2014 \| colspan="2" \| Dembava \| Short film \| align="center" \|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2017 \| colspan="2" \| The Camel \| Short film \| align="center" \|
colspan="2" \| By the Pool \| Short film \| align="center" \|
scope="row" \| 2018 \| colspan="2" \| Caucasus \| Short film \| align="center" \|
scope="row" \| 2020 \| Dummy \| Akturimas \| Short film \| align="center" \|
scope="row" \| 2021 \| Pilgrims \| Piligrimai \| {{N/a}} \| align="center" \|
scope="row" \| 2024 \| Drowning Dry \| Seses \| {{N/a}} \| align="center" \|

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | English title

! scope="col" | Original title

! scope="col" | Notes

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Ref.

scope="row" | 2014

| colspan="2" | Dembava

| Short film

| align="center" |

scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2017

| colspan="2" | The Camel

| Short film

| align="center" |

colspan="2" | By the Pool

| Short film

| align="center" |

scope="row" | 2018

| colspan="2" | Caucasus

| Short film

| align="center" |

scope="row" | 2020

| Dummy

| Akturimas

| Short film

| align="center" |

scope="row" | 2021

| Pilgrims

| Piligrimai

| {{N/a}}

| align="center" |

scope="row" | 2024

| Drowning Dry

| Seses

| {{N/a}}

| align="center" |

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Award ! scope="col" \| Category ! scope="col" \| Nominated work ! scope="col" \| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Ref.
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2020 \| Berlin International Film Festival \| Golden Bear for Best Short Film \| rowspan="3" \| Dummy \| {{Nominated}} \| align="center" \|
Regard: Saguenay International Short Film Festival \| Grand Prix, International Competition \| {{Won}} \| align="center" \|
Palm Springs International ShortFest \| Best Live Action Short \| {{Won}} \| align="center" \|
scope="row" \| 2021 \| Venice Film Festival \| Orizzonti \| rowspan="5" \| Pilgrims \| {{Won}} \| align="center" \|
scope="row" rowspan="4" \| 2022 \| rowspan="4" \| Lithuanian Film Awards \| Best Director \| {{Won}} \| align="center" \|
Best Actor \| {{Won}} \| align="center" \|
Best Screenplay \| {{Won}} \| align="center" \|
Best Editing \| {{Nominated}} \| align="center" \|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2024 \| rowspan="2" \| Locarno Film Festival \| Golden Leopard \| rowspan="2" \| Drowning Dry \| {{Nominated}} \| align="center" \|
Best Direction Award \| {{Won}} \| align="center" \|

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Award

! scope="col" | Category

! scope="col" | Nominated work

! scope="col" | Result

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Ref.

scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2020

| Berlin International Film Festival

| Golden Bear for Best Short Film

| rowspan="3" | Dummy

| {{Nominated}}