DROWNING DRY
Filmmaker Laurynas Bareiša brings the Lithuanian-Latvian drama DROWNING DRY to US audiences, beginning this Friday. Winning the Leopard for Best Direction at the Locarno International Film Festival, Bareiša serves as writer, director, and cinematographer. The story revolves around two sisters who plan a weekend getaway with their husbands and children. Following a tragic accident, both women navigate the complexities of trauma.
The organic meandering of unplanned vacation time reads entirely authentic. The montage of the kids’ initial shenanigans and their mothers’ choreographed childhood dance are stand-out moments. At this point in the runtime (35 minutes), the audience could easily tap out. But the request for a swim and an innocent act of horseplay trigger a tonal shift.
The film’s deliberate observational pace builds discomfort, only exacerbated by non-linear storytelling. The moment you realize what’s happening, it is like a punch to the gut. This decision will either tantalize audiences or turn them off. Performances are outstanding from our cast of only six. Bareiša’s camerawork is perfect for his stylistic choices. DROWNING DRY is a meditation on loss, examining the varying emotional reactions between the sexes. It is a film that will have you talking about it long after the screen goes dark.
New York @ IFC Center: July 18-24*
*Opening Weekend Q&As with Filmmaker Laurynas Bareiša Following Screenings
on Friday, July 18 at 7:20pm (moderated by IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio)
& Saturday, July 19 at 7:20pm (moderator TBA)
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Los Angeles @ Laemmle Theaters: July 30 & August 2-3
Screening in Laemmle Claremont (Claremont, CA), Laemmle Glendale (Glendale, CA), Laemmle Monica (Santa Monica, CA), Laemmle Town Center (Encino, CA) & Laemmle Newhall (Santa Clarita, CA)
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Cleveland, OH @ Cleveland Cinematheque: July 31 & August 3
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Nantucket, MA @ Nantucket Dreamland: August 6
+ Other Cities & Theaters TBA
[More Info & Updates on Dekanalog Website]
It starts with a kick to the head. Mixed martial arts competitor Lukas has just handily defeated his opponent and celebrates with his wife, child, and friends backstage, setting the scene for a nimble combination of communal bonding and looming horrors. Writer-director Laurynas Bareiša, an ND/NF veteran for his debut feature Pilgrims, takes us on a non-linear journey through the experiences and recollections of those who survived tragedy (and those who didn’t), shot with unceasing patience and formal rigor. DROWNING DRY was the second of Bareiša’s films selected as Lithuania’s entry for the Best International Feature Academy Award. Winner of Locarno’s Best Director and, in recognition of its indispensable ensemble of four, Best Performance awards. A Dekanalog release. –New Directors/New Films 2025
Main Cast: Gelminė Glemžaitė | Agnė Kaktaitė | Giedrius Kiela | Paulius Markevičius
Writer, Director & Cinematographer: Laurynas Bareiša
Producer: Klementina Remeikaitė
Co-producer: Matiss Kaza
Production Designer: Sigita Šimkūnaitė
Editor: Silvija Vilkaitė
Sound Designer: Julius Grigelionis
*WINNER* DROWNING DRY
Best Director Award – Locarno Film Festival
Best Performance Ensemble Award – Locarno FF
Jury Special Mention – Riga Int’l Film Festival
Best Film, Rampa Award – Seville European Film Festival
Best Baltic Director Award – Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
Best Screenplay Award – Festival de Cinema Europeo Lecce
Best Actor Award (for Paulius Markevičius) – Festival de Cinema Europeo Lecce
Grand Prix – Taipei International Film Festival
Čejen Černić Čanak profound Berlinale drama SANDBAG DAM follows Marko, an athletic young man navigating his younger brother, school, sports, and girlfriend, Petra. His life upends when Slaven returns home for his father’s funeral. With the threat of flooding in his small Croatian village, his long-lost feelings for Slaven threaten everything.
Marko exists in a traditionally masculine environment. His father is a mechanic, training him to take over the business and compete in an upcoming arm wrestling competition. His free time consists of drinking at parties and attending to his eager-to-please girlfriend. Then, his seemingly easy life suddenly halts when Slaven returns after three years and no goodbye.
The story slowly reveals itself with an innocent bitterness and longing. If you go into the film blind, nothing is spoonfed to the audience. It is beautifully paced. The homophobia in Sandbag Dam is excruciating. The weaponization of hurt and ignorance is devastating.
The performances are spectacular. Leon Grgić is endearing as younger brother Fićo. He has a genuine star quality. His purity will make your heartache. Andrija Žunac gives Slaven an authenticity that is calming. His unapologetic aura is sensational. Lav Novosel delivers a pitch-perfect turn as Marko. Torn between the life he yearns for and the one he feels forced to accept, Novosel brings us on an emotional roller coaster we have no control over. You feel the conflict in your soul.
The film has a similar energy to Brokeback Mountain. Its restrained tension is waiting to burst at any moment. There is no denying the double entendre of the title. As the floodwaters rise, so do the tensions of secrets and feelings. Screenwriter Tomislav Zajec provides stunning metaphors. SANDBAG DAM is an important story. It is one that so many LGBTQ youth must endure. The final moments will have you talking about this film long after the credits roll.
Giedrius Kiela and Gabija Bargailaite play Paulius and Indre, respectively. Each brings qualities of pain. Kiela’s aggression has the audience in a death grip. His volatility is frightening. Bargailaite is more subtle. Her unraveling happens in a finale that breaks you. They are hypnotizing. 
Slick editing and long takes on a stationary camera make the audience an unwilling witness to Paulius and Indre’s plans. The script’s structure leaves much to the imagination as clues come slowly. My mind swirled as I watched Paulius walk Indre through the crime’s timeline. You feel compelled to keep watching. As someone whose close friend died under mysterious circumstances years ago, the unresolved pain and trauma are palpable. The need to understand and reason with the devil never fades, no matter how many years go by. PILGRIMS captures the very messy essence of grief.
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