Drowning Dry

by Laurynas Bareiša

Synopsis

Synopsis

To celebrate Lukas’ victory at the martial arts tournament and Tomas’ birthday party, two sisters organize a weekend at the country house.

With their kids, they go swimming in a nearby lake, relax and discuss family finances.

After the near tragic accident of one of the children, the sisters become single mothers.

Specifications

Lithuania, Latvia  88 min.  1.85:1  5.1  Lithuanian (Original title: SESĖS)

Written and Directed by

Laurynas Bareiša

Produced by

Afterschool – Klementina Remeikaité

Coproduced by

Trickster – Matīss Kaža

Cast

Gelminė Glemžaitė  (Ernesta)

Agnė Kaktaitė (Juste)

Giedrius Kiela (Tomas)

Paulius Markevičius (Lukas)

Crew

Director and scriptwriter: Laurynas Bareiša

cinematography by Laurynas Bareiša

production design by Sigita Šimkūnaitė

edited by Silvija Vilkaitė

sound design by Julius Grigelionis

costumes by Laura Kraukle

make-up by Beata Rjabovska and Ieva Sebre

Festivals

DROWNING DRY is the Official Candidate for the Oscar®

Locarno Film Festival – BEST DIRECTOR AWARD & BEST PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLE AWARD

Busan International Film Festival – Flash Forward Competition

Central and Eastern European Film Festival – Cinéscope 

Raving Press Quotes

Le Monde by Clarisse Fabre

“Jubilatoire”

The Moveable Fest by Stephen Saito

“Inventive , Engrossing drama, genuinely unnerving experience, emotional logic impressively holds throughout”

The Hollywood Reporter by Jordan Mintzer

“Bareiša served as his own cinematographer on the film, and his sober, carefully orchestrated shots recall the work of Michael Haneke”

We’re watching slices of life, but slices that are rearranged several times until they’re shaped into a credible story about overcoming trauma.

The Film Stage by Rory O’Connor

Bareiša’s is a singular work: conceptually rich in its design and ideas, beautifully shot in its own evasive way, even cruelly funny.

A film built on more subtly unnerving imagery––shot by the director himself

Cineuropa by Muriel Del Don

Drowning Dry is a wonderfully destabilising film hiding an ever-burning emotional fire beneath a layer of sophisticated sang-froid.

The Film Verdict by Carmen Gray

https://thefilmverdict.com/drowning-dry/

Laurynas Bareiša’s haunting and profoundly disorienting drama

it would be inaccurate to label it a thriller, despite its suspenseful mystery and shocking tragedies

High on Films by Debanjan Dhar

Bareiša is a persistently innovative filmmaker

The climactic conversation between the two sisters is phenomenally performed

BEST DIRECTOR AWARD
BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD
BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD

Markets and Festivals

Locarno 2024