I Walked Through Fire, You Were with Me

The latest film from Audrius Stonys opens with idyllic shots of the marriage of Mr Kriauleidziai and his new wife. After they kiss, there is a sudden cut and we find ourselves in the midst of the flames which later engulfed their family home. Even though no-one was injured, the young couple, now with a three-year-old daughter, have to come to terms not only with the loss of the roof over their heads but, above all, with the loss of their home. The director combines his detailed record of their new start with black-and-white images and the accompanying sounds of a children’s choir. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)