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Lithuanian director Vytautas Katkus has made a name for himself internationally in recent years. Interpersonal relationships and the emotions they entail are recurring themes, which he masterfully represents in all their complexity. His signature style includes silence and meticulous image compositions, producing distinctive worlds that are simultaneously poetic and refreshing. This programme presents a comprehensive and chronological survey of Katkus’s work as a director.
Parketo Skutejai Marija Kavtaradzė/Vytautas Katkus / Lithuania 2014 / 5'59" / DCP / colour / no dialogue / Exp
A short dance piece about three friends, two guys and one girl, who are moving in together. While scraping the floor, the guys find they have feelings for each other, but they are trying to hide them because of a fear of being misunderstood. Inspired by Gustave Caillebotte’s painting «The Floor Scrapers».
A young woman, Greta, returns to Lithuania from abroad and finds out that her mother has turned her room into a hair salon. Unsure where to go, Greta sees a TV episode on igloos and decides to build one outside her mother‘s apartment building. Greta‘s igloo becomes the main issue of the neighborhood – not because it causes any inconvenience for the residents but simply because it annoys them.
Patriarchal masculinity seems to be in its final throes. A story about the cold relationship between a father and his son. Their bond, plagued by indifference, is on the verge of disintegrating completely.
Miegamasis rajonas Vytautas Katkus / Lithuania 2020 / 11'53" / DCP / colour / Lithuanian / Fic
A story of two childhood friends who are spending their last days in the places where they've grown up. This is how they are trying to postpone their farewell from a district that is changing.
A recently retired father invites his son to help him with the cherry picking in the garden. The father is in no hurry to finish the cherry job though, as he tries to catch up with his son. The cherries remain in the background.
Vytautas Katkus is a Lithuanian cinematographer and director who has made a name for himself in the international film scene in recent years. Born and raised in Lithuania, Katkus studied at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Drama, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cinematography. His preference for analogue techniques plays a central role in his cinematic language. He likes to add a touch of magical realism to his films, even when their stories and shots are realistic. This allows him to transport his audience into a world that is both familiar and unexpectedly enchanting, while also emphasizing the timeless quality of the analogue.
Katkus has enjoyed considerable festival success with his last three short films. «Community Gardens» («Kolektyviniai sodai») had its world premiere at the Critics’ Week in Cannes in 2019. The film, which explores a father-son relationship during a slow summer, was praised internationally for its subtle narration and visual poetry. The apparent gentleness of the style conceals an underlying, searing intensity. In 2020, Katkus continued his exploration of human relationships with «Places», which screened at the Venice International Film Festival. His most recent success, «Uogos» («Cherries»), was presented in the short film competition at Cannes. Here, Katkus addresses a familial conflict during an encounter between father and son.
Vytautas Katkus uses natural light and a subtle colour palette to evoke specific moods in his films. His thoughtful and often poetic image compositions enhance the emotional depth of the stories. The director describes his approach as follows: «I simply try to use my films to show my emotions, which I feel I need to express somehow. Very often I find it easier to express my feelings about certain things in pictures than by talking to people.» This philosophy permeates his work. In addition to visual storytelling, he is especially interested in silence, which he employs as a powerful aesthetic tool to communicate unspoken emotions. Katkus often considers the absence of conversation more meaningful and expressive than dialogue. His films challenge viewers to explore the deeper layers of meaning and the subtle nuances of life.
Through his collaborations with young Lithuanian directors, Katkus has also made a significant contribution to Lithuanian film as a cinematographer. With his continuous search for innovative approaches and his dedication to the art of cinema, he remains a key figure in the emerging Lithuanian film scene.
Curated by John Canciani
The Man in the Director's Chair
Vytautas Katkus is a Lithuanian cinematographer and director who has made a name for himself in the international film scene in recent years. Born and raised in Lithuania, Katkus studied at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Drama, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cinematography. His preference for analogue techniques plays a central role in his cinematic language. He likes to add a touch of magical realism to his films, even when their stories and shots are realistic. This allows him to transport his audience into a world that is both familiar and unexpectedly enchanting, while also emphasizing the timeless quality of the analogue.
Katkus has enjoyed considerable festival success with his last three short films. «Community Gardens» («Kolektyviniai sodai») had its world premiere at the Critics’ Week in Cannes in 2019. The film, which explores a father-son relationship during a slow summer, was praised internationally for its subtle narration and visual poetry. The apparent gentleness of the style conceals an underlying, searing intensity. In 2020, Katkus continued his exploration of human relationships with «Places», which screened at the Venice International Film Festival. His most recent success, «Uogos» («Cherries»), was presented in the short film competition at Cannes. Here, Katkus addresses a familial conflict during an encounter between father and son.
Vytautas Katkus uses natural light and a subtle colour palette to evoke specific moods in his films. His thoughtful and often poetic image compositions enhance the emotional depth of the stories. The director describes his approach as follows: «I simply try to use my films to show my emotions, which I feel I need to express somehow. Very often I find it easier to express my feelings about certain things in pictures than by talking to people.» This philosophy permeates his work. In addition to visual storytelling, he is especially interested in silence, which he employs as a powerful aesthetic tool to communicate unspoken emotions. Katkus often considers the absence of conversation more meaningful and expressive than dialogue. His films challenge viewers to explore the deeper layers of meaning and the subtle nuances of life.
Through his collaborations with young Lithuanian directors, Katkus has also made a significant contribution to Lithuanian film as a cinematographer. With his continuous search for innovative approaches and his dedication to the art of cinema, he remains a key figure in the emerging Lithuanian film scene.
Les Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur représentent le plus important festival de courts métrages en Suisse. Chaque mois de novembre, Winterthour se transforme en métropole du court métrage pendant six jours.
Des courts métrages actuels du monde entier. Les œuvres les plus prometteuses seront récompensées le dimanche soir.
Hors Concours
Des courts métrages actuels zurichois, suisses et internationaux diffusés en dehors de nos compétitions.
Focus
Une analyse en images d’une région, d’un phénomène social ou d’une tendance artistique.
Focus sur une personne
L’œuvre d’un·e cinéaste est mise sur le devant de la scène.
Programmes spéciaux
Des programmes de courts métrages sur des thématiques brûlantes, ou simplement divertissantes.
Programmes familiaux
Des courts métrages pour les jeunes dès 6 ans et toute la famille.
Expanded Cinema
Des installations, des performances et des expositions qui font découvrir au public des formes de cinéma inhabituelles.
Programme d’événements
Des concerts, des soirées, des lectures et de nombreux autres événements qui complètent l’expérience du festival.
Discussions et podiums
Des discussions et des tables rondes animées durant lesquelles l'art du cinéma ou des thématiques précises sont approfondis.
Industry Events
Un large éventail d’événements d’information, de formation et de réseautage.
Le court métrage
Le court métrage n’est pas juste un film «court». C’est une forme d’art à part entière à laquelle nous consacrons chaque année un festival.
Il existe des courts métrages de tous genres et de toutes longueurs. Grâce à des voies de production facilitées, il permet de capter rapidement une époque et de l’illustrer. Il divertit, surprend, analyse lasociété, exprime une opinion politique ou donne un aperçu de mondes étrangers.
Nous rassemblons nos courts métrages pour créer des programmes thématiques ou des sections – comme nos compétitions – et nous les projetons dans un ordre bien précis. Pour apprécier le court métrage, il suffit d’être curieux, d’avoir envie de faire des découvertes et de se laisser surprendre.
