Skalvija Film Academy students screening series │Vilnius portraits

Over nearly 20 years of activity, the Skalvija Film Academy (founded by the Skalvija Cinema Centre in 2007) has nurtured hundreds of young filmmakers. Each year, its students create dozens of short films that reflect their perspectives, creativity, and artistic growth. This year, we invite audiences to a retrospective screening series showcasing selected student works from different generations, offering a unique look at the academy’s history through the films they created.

Screenings will take place at Utopija, an alternative cultural venue in Vilnius. Throughout the summer, three free short-film events will be held, each followed by a discussion with the filmmakers. Everyone interested in young people’s cinema is welcome. All films will be screened with Lithuanian and English subtitles.

The series opens on 15 June at 8:30 PM with the programme “Portraits of Vilnius.” The films were selected by Laurynas Grikštas, a ticket office administrator at the Skalvija Cinema Centre and a philosophy student, who will also moderate the post-screening discussion (only in Lithuanian) with the filmmakers.

Other summer screenings include “Vilnius Creators” (20 July) and “A Programme Curated by Students” (24 August). “Vilnius Creators” will showcase films by academy alumni who continue to work actively in the field. Meanwhile, “A Programme Curated by Students” will be developed in collaboration with recent academy participants, who will select and present some of the most memorable films produced throughout the academy’s history.