Day three of the European Union Film Festival was rich with insights and narratives on human connections, intricate relationships, and the drama that shapes our lives. An immersive workshop organised in collaboration with Unbox Cultural Futures led by Tomas Vengris and Alina Gufran was held to inspire young, independent creatives in the art of storytelling and cinema. The workshop offered valuable insights and encouraged fresh perspectives for aspiring filmmakers.
During the workshop, Tomas Vengris shared insights into the theme of identity crisis in his work, a recurring element he attributes to being raised between Lithuania and the U.S., which ingrained a sense of personal conflict that permeates his films. Currently completing his third feature, Vengris spoke about the unique excitement in filmmaking: when someone struggles with a project, it becomes a huge learning curve. Everything is new and challenging. You finish that project, feel like you’ve got it figured out, and then with the next one, it’s like starting from scratch. That sense of constant reinvention is what makes it so thrilling.
Alina Gufran shared her approach as a writer, wherein she draws from her personal experiences such as the immigrant experience, interfaith dynamics, navigating multiple identities, belonging, and the search for connection. These themes, rooted in her own life, become a creative lens through which she explores and interprets the world.
The workshop was attended by emerging filmmakers, budding creatives, and young film students.
Day 3 also featured screenings of three well-received films: the Slovenian film The Man Without Guilt, directed by Ivan Gergolet; the Polish film Dangerous Men, directed by Maciej Kawalski; and the Portuguese film Baan, directed by Leonor Teles. Each film was met with enthusiastic applause and appreciation from the Delhi audience.
The 29th European Union Film Festival (EUFF) is currently ongoing in New Delhi till November 16, 2024.
