There are film experiences that surprise us. But every now and then, we encounter films that we return to in our thoughts many years later. Films that helped us see the world through someone else’s eyes and changed us in some way. To celebrate the festival’s 20th anniversary, we invited our audience to share the films they had seen at the festival whose impact has stayed with them over the years. We are deeply grateful for the many heartfelt and personal stories you shared with us, and for the inspiration to bring these films back to the big screen once again.

Not so long ago, highly skilled professionals called ‘journalists’ were hired to separate objective reality from fiction. Today, society has handed the task of telling the story of reality over to opinion-forming influencers, algorithms, and AI-generated fabrications that broadcast fake news. Fatigue, polarization, and the desire to withdraw from it all have become the dominant companions of everyday life in the post-truth era. But not for the protagonists of the films in this programme, who, through their courage and actions, testify that the fight for truth is not (yet) doomed to hopeless defeat.

What constitutes a person’s self in a world that constantly imposes constraints? Family or homeland do not necessarily define one’s identity, but they can serve as a starting point in the search for oneself. The protagonists of these stories try to listen to their hearts despite constant tensions between their dreams and other’s expectations, between their will and chance, and between their desire for freedom and their sense of duty.

Living through the loneliness epidemic, the protagonists of this programme are, above all, searching for connection: with another person or with technology, with the community around them or even with a foreign culture. Where do we look for closeness when being together becomes increasingly difficult? Is it still worth seeking a connection with another person – someone as complex and imperfect as you are? Or is artificial intelligence, which will be exactly as you want it to be, enough? The protagonists would answer these questions very differently.

Changing landscapes and extreme weather conditions open up a whole spectrum of new relationships – not only with ourselves or other people, but also with time and space. Forces of nature shape the ways in which we live and coexist, dream and work, remember and forget. The films in this programme remind us that the elements are humanity’s eternal companions, reflecting our shared destiny on this living Earth.

Millions of viewers, impressive festival lineups and numerous audience awards – this programme presents films that have earned recognition in international film festivals and quickly became audience favorites. These are stories that have been welcomed by sold-out screenings all around the world.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Inconvenient Films, we are bringing back three must-see films to the big screen. These titles can be found in TOP film lists and catalogues of most important documentaries ever created. These are films that, over time, have become not only part of festival lineups but also part of cinema history. These are documentaries that have already changed our reality. The programme is recommended by “Pamatyk kine”.

In Lithuania, we know what occupation is and how to recognize it. In Ukraine, we recognized it overnight. But when the occupier is not our enemy, but an ally of our allies, suddenly everything becomes nuanced. The programme features four films documenting the reality of Palestinians, a reality that began well before October 7, 2023. Over nearly 80 years, several generations have grown up for whom occupation is not an event but everyday life that holds within it anger, love, humour, and grief.

For more information on the programme, call 1482.

This programme includes documentaries from the last few years, to which Lithuanian filmmakers have made significant contributions. The Lithuanian and Belarussian team tells a story about Ales Bialiatski, who is sometimes called ‘the Nelson Mandela of Eastern Europe’. Producer Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė and sound designer Julius Grigelionis joined the Polish team in the film about our apathy to the pain of migrants on the border with Belarus. For the first time, the programme also features short films made by young filmmakers, presented in the national student competition. These are special screenings at Inconvenient Films, dedicated to celebrating Lithuanian filmmakers and their contribution to the fight for human rights.

Immersive programme NK-INTERACTIVE presents not only virtual reality films, but also other extended reality forms such as games, video installations and interactive experiences. The newest media innovations present bold scenarios for the future, leading viewers forwards, together. We explore the contemporary bond between human and reality, glancing through the prism of a virtual body. NK-INTERACTIVE will be open at Museum of the Radvilas Palace and Lithuanian Theater, Music and Cinema Museum from 15 to 25 October.

The youth programme features witty, inspiring, and world-changing stories. Sometimes challenging, but always authentic. The programme is presented by NK-KLASĖ and Baltisches Haus.