THE VISITOR
[SVEČIAS]
Lithuanian cinematographer Vytautas Katkus, whose short films have screened in competition at the Cannes and Venice film festivals, makes his feature directorial debut with this poignant meditation on loneliness and reconciliation. After welcoming a newborn baby in Norway with his Norwegian wife, Rita (Hanne Mathisen Haga), Danielius (Darius Šilėnas) sets off to his Lithuanian hometown to sell his parents’ flat after the death of his father. He tries to reconnect with old friends but cannot escape the distance he now feels. Yet, instead of quickly selling the flat and returning home, Danielius embraces the solitude and estrangement, letting it guide his interactions with those around him. THE VISITOR is a work less concerned with traditional plot structures than in setting a tone that invites viewers to contemplate its protagonist’s emotions and their own. This assured debut was shot by Katkus himself on grainy, tactile 16mm film, with long, steady takes that further invite the audience to settle in and enjoy its gorgeous imagery. THE VISITOR is the latest work emerging from a promising wave of Lithuanian cinema spurred by a younger generation. Indeed, the community’s collaborative spirit is on full display in THE VISITOR, which is co-written by Marija Kavtaradzė (director of SLOW, AFI European Union Film Showcase 2023) and edited by Laurynas Bareiša (director of DROWNING DRY, AFI European Union Film Showcase 2024); Katkus’ work as cinematographer is also on display in another Showcase selection, RENOVATION. –Javier Chavez
Official Selection, 2025 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. DIR/SCR Vytautas Katkus; SCR Marija Kavtaradze; PROD Marija Razgutė, Brigita Beniušytė. Lithuania/Norway/Sweden, 2025, color, 115 min. In Lithuanian with English subtitles. NOT RATED
Run Time: 115 Minutes
Opening Date: Saturday, December 06, 2025
Genre: Drama
