The Lease

The post-communist world of independent Lithuania created new sorts of responsibilities for its citizens. The embrace of capitalism brought about changes that were difficult for many people to cope with. As director Kristijonas VildziUnas has pointed out, the outward freedom of a country doesn't necessarily bring forth the inner freedom of individuals. The Lease focuses on this paradox. A middle-aged woman leaves her imprisoned family behind in the search for a new future. Pushed by the desire for freedom, she sadly finds out that the obstacles in the way are bigger than expected. The fear of I ivi ng in a sort of no man's land and losing touch with reality and social life darkens her mind and jolts her into a new sort of prison inside herself. Vi I dziUnas develops sights and sounds of the Lithuanian community in the most discrete fashion. Viewing an attack on a bum on the other side of a river, the woman's reaction recalls the so common apathy of Michelangelo Antonioni's characters. At the same time her illusory state of mind in response to the surrounding environment echoes Andrei Tarkovsky. Maybe not competing on the same level, The Lease still promises a bright future for Baltic cinema. JOHAN LINDQVIST