Baltic Shorts Residency - 2021

Juri Krutii (Estonia)

Juri Krutii is an Estonian/Ukrainian screenwriter and director driven by a bold visual approach to storytelling. Juri’s film background takes root in film studies and has then developed in practice resulting with an MFA in writing/directing from Screen Academy of Scotland as well as the UK-wide well received debut short. Heavily influenced by theory and cinema of immersion, Juri strives to create culturally relevant and visually compelling work. While being comfortable practicing various filmmaking mediums, Juri’s work often seeks to establish contact with the viewer with the use of vigorous visual language and valiant pacing. Provoking thought when delving into themes of trauma, isolation, and the elusive notion of existence resting deep in one’s psyche.

Project developed in BSR2021:

“Side Hesitation” (work-in-progress)
fiction, 17′, Estonia

Side Hesitation, an unnoticeable yet complex move used in ballroom dancing’s staple dance routine of waltz. The story follows a young teen, Madis and his struggle with jealousy and own sexual awakening in the setting of competitive ballroom dancing. As his confusion escalates, he finds himself cornered and makes decisions that puts everything he loves on the line.

 

Žanete Skarule

Žanete Skarule is a Riga-born filmmaker based in Amsterdam. Over the years she has worked in film production in New York and Los Angeles, where she also graduated from the California Institute of the Arts with an MFA in film directing. Žanete works in different genres and techniques – fiction, documentary, experimental, and installation – using both analog and digital mediums. Filmmakers like Jonas Mekas, regarded as the godfather of avant-garde cinema, have left a significant impact on her artistic practice. Žanete worked in Mekas’ New York-based studio until 2012 when she started her journey as a filmmaker. Her debut award-winning documentary Flying Monks Temple (2017) is still traveling around the film festivals.

Project developed in BSR2021:

“Big Loop – Small Loop” (work-in-progress)
fiction, 18′, Latvia, Lithuania

Inspired by true events, the story takes place in the 1970s Soviet Union. An engineering student Paulis finds his well-respected professor Kalns in a situation with another man. Struggling with his own sexual identity, Paulis is looking for answers within a society built on codes and double morality.

 

Akvilė Gelažiūtė

Akvilė Gelažiūtė is a fiction and documentary film director and doctoral student of Film Directing at Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy (LMTA). Her feature documentary “Deminas: The Two Towers” (2015) won as The Best Student Movie of the year at Lithuanian national film awards “Silver Crane”. Currently working as a lecturer of Media production in VilniusTech University and doing artistic research on the topic “Absurd Humor Strategies in Cinema” (LMTA).

Project developed in BSR2021:

“Standart Pressure: 34 PSI” (finished)
fiction, 15′, Lithuania

Gabija and her boyfriend struggle to make a decision on whether the puppy they are about to
buy should be a male or a female dog. During the funeral of a distant relative, it becomes apparent why the choice for Gabija was so difficult to make.

 

Script consultant - Wim Vanacker

After studying psychology in Belgium, Wim Vanacker moved to Dublin to work as a psychologist in the field of drug addiction. Three years later, he picked up studying again at EICAR where he made two shorts. After graduating, he discovered NISI MASA – European Network of Young Cinema where he became the Head of the Script Department and the Project manager of the MEDIA funded project, European Short Pitch. Furthermore, he’s a member of the Selection Committee for the Official Short Film Competition of the Cannes Film Festival and he works as the Editorial Consultant for the First Cut Lab. On the side, he works as a script consultant, creative advisor, programmer, tutor and guest speaker for many workshops, film festivals and projects in development. As a writer/director, he’s currently developing the films [ˈsɪə.ri.əl ] and Psycho Revisited.