HOW TO DIVORCE DURING THE WAR
HOW TO DIVORCE DURING THE WAR
Skyrybos karo metu
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Ireland, Czech Republic
2026, DPC, color, 108’
GOLDEN OLIVE
European Feature Film Competition
➔ THU 12 NOV | 9:00 PM | SCREEN 3
Direction: Andrius Blaževičius
Screenplay: Andrius Blaževičius
Cinematography: Narvydas Naujalis
Editing: Anna Johnson Ryndová AFS
Production design: Greta Vileikytė
Music: Jakub Rataj
Costumes: Aneta Grnakova
Cast: Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė (Marija), Marius Repšys (Vytas), Amelija Adomaitytė (Dovilė), Indrė Patkauskaitė (Jūratė), Gintarė Parulytė (Ona)
Producers: Marija Razgutė in coproduction with Vincent Quénault, Jeanne Geiben, Jessie Fisk, Jakub Kostal, Vratislav Šlajer
Production: M-film (Lituania) in coproduction with Red Lion (Lux), Feline Films (Irl), Bionaut (Czech Rep)
World Sales: New Europe Film Sales
Vilnius 2022. High-flying executive Marija chooses the worst possible moment for an honest conversation with her husband Vytas about divorcing - just one day before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine goes into full scale. Now the couple must navigate the process of separation as it collides with a refugee and mid-life crisis.
The struggling film director Vytas is initially put into a tight spot by having to move in with his Russophile parents, whose world view completely conflicts with his. With time, however, this new situation becomes an opportunity for a new opening for him as he volunteers in a food bank and finds new purpose and fame through anti-war performance art.
For Marija, the grass is not as green on the other side as she initially hoped and the conflict between her desires and her morality leave her frustrated and alone. When she tries to feel better by helping refugees, it also brings her little satisfaction when she experiences a culture clash with an Ukrainian family that she’s hosting in her fancy apartment.
Maybe her life with the boring but stable Vytas wasn’t so bad after all?
“The 2022 war in Ukraine shook all of Europe, but for the Baltic countries the shock was existential. On February 24, 2022, Lithuania woke up in fear; many panicked, some even fled. Yet the same shock united the country. People donated millions to Ukraine, opened their homes to refugees, and created an extraordinary wave of solidarity.
At the same time, tensions slowly surfaced: cultural clashes inside host families, debates about Lithuanian companies that continued working in Russia, and generational divides shaped by Russian propaganda. Some families stopped speaking to each other over opposing beliefs about the war.
“Divorce” in the title refers both to the breakup of the protagonists and to a larger societal split: polarisation, radicalisation, and a growing unwillingness to give up comfort for collective responsibility.”
Born in Vilnius, June 26, 1985, studied Culture History and Anthropology at Vilnius University. After a while, Andrius switched to Film Directing studies at Kimo, Lithuanian National Film School, where he graduated with an MA in 2011.
Blaževičius’ debut feature film The Saint (2016) premiered at Warsaw IFF and Busan IFF, won six national awards and became one of the most appreciated Lithuanian independent films at the national box office with 47K admissions in total.
His sophomore film Runner (2021) premiered at Karlovy Vary IFF with the main actress Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė being awarded as a Shooting Star by European Film Promotion. Runner received two Lithuanian Film Academy awards - for the main and the supporting actresses.
How to Divorce During The War (2026) - third feature film by Andrius Blaževičius premiered at Sundance FF, World Dramatic Competition.
2011 Dešimt Priežasčių (Ten Reasons, short)
2016 Šventasis (The Saint)
2021 Bėgikė (Runner)
2026 Skyrybos Karo Metu (How To Divorce During The War)
2026 Sundance FF - World Dramatic Competition: Directing Award
2027 European Film Awards: nominated in shortlist
2027 Oscar: Lithuania’s submission for the Academy Award