U.S. Trailer for Laurynas Bareiša’s Drowning Dry Unveils an Enchanting Family Drama

      Laurynas Bareiša’s *Drowning Dry*, which won the Best Director and Best Performance awards at last year's Locarno Film Festival, has been chosen as Lithuania's entry for the Best International Feature Academy Award. Following its screening at New Directors/New Films, this captivating drama is scheduled for release on July 18th at New York City's IFC Center. Ahead of the launch by Dekanalog, the new U.S. trailer and poster have been unveiled.

      Here’s the synopsis: “It begins with a kick to the head. Mixed martial arts fighter Lukas (Paulius Markevičius) has just easily triumphed over his opponent and celebrates backstage with his wife, child, and friends, creating an atmosphere of group camaraderie intertwined with impending dread.”

      Rory O’Connor noted in his review, “Memories can be elusive. Consider what transpires around the midpoint of Laurynas Bareiša’s enchanting second feature: two women—specifically Ernesta (Gelminė Glemžaitė) and Juste (Agnė Kaktaitė), sisters vacationing with their families (each accompanied by a husband and one child)—start dancing to a song by Donna Lewis, showcasing a routine that seems a blend of half-remembered steps and muscle memory. This mesmerizing moment is interrupted when their children request to go swimming, leading to one child seemingly drowning. The narrative then jumps ahead in time, where Ernesta visits a man whose life was saved by an organ from her late husband. Before uncovering details about his death, we revert back: same holiday, same sisters, same dance, now set to Lighthouse Family. “When you’re close to tears, remember,” Tunde Baiyewu sings, “someday it’ll all be over.”

      Check out the trailer and poster below (via IndieWire) and read our interview with the director here.