Jonas Mekas was a Lithuanian-American filmmaker, poet, and artist who has been called "the godfather of American avant-garde cinema". Mekas's work has been exhibited in museums and at festivals worldwide. Mekas was active in New York City, where he co-founded Anthology Film Archives, The Film-Makers' Cooperative, and the journal Film Culture. He was also the first film critic for The Village Voice.
Artūras Zuokas is a Lithuanian journalist, businessman and politician who served as the mayor of the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, from 2000 to 2007 and again from 2011 to 2015, and as member of Lithuania's unicameral parliament, Seimas, from 2008 to 2009 and from 2024. He was the leader of the Liberal and Centre Union, then YES - Homeland Revival and Perspective and the Lithuanian Freedom Union, and has been the chairman of Freedom and Justice since 3 February 2024.
Several Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts occurred after Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union on 11 March 1990. As a Soviet republic, the Lithuanian SSR did not have a state border with customs or checkpoints. The newly declared Republic of Lithuania began establishing the State Border Guard Service, before it was internationally recognized on 27 August 1991 by the states of the European Community. These posts also became a symbol of its struggle for independence. The Soviet government viewed the customs posts as illegal and sent the OMON troops to harass the posts, especially those along the eastern border with Byelorussian SSR. The unarmed customs officers and armed policemen were intimidated, beaten or killed, their cars were stolen or bombed, the posts were burned down or wrecked, and work of the checkpoints was otherwise disrupted. Two of the incidents resulted in the deaths of a total of eight Lithuanian citizens. In total, about 60 officers were attacked and injured, and 23 border posts were burned or destroyed.
Šarūnas Bartas is a Lithuanian film director. He is one of the most prominent Lithuanian film directors internationally from the late 20th century. His 2015 film Peace to Us in Our Dreams was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. His film In the Dusk was part of the official selection of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival.
Arūnas Matelis is a Lithuanian documentary film director. From 1979 till 1983 Arūnas Matelis studied Mathematics at Vilnius University and later in 1989 graduated from the Lithuanian Music Academy. In 1992, he established one of the first independent film production companies in Lithuania, "Nominum". In 2006 Matelis became a full member of European Film Academy with the right to vote.
Lietuvos aidas is a daily newspaper in Lithuania. It was established on September 6, 1917, by Antanas Smetona, and became the semi-official voice of the newly formed Lithuanian government. When the government evacuated from Vilnius to the temporary capital, Kaunas, it ceased publication. The newspaper was revived in 1928 as the newspaper of the Lithuanian government and became the most popular newspaper in Lithuania. At its peak, it published three daily editions with combined circulation of 90,000 copies. World War II disrupted its publication. In 1990, after Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union, the newspaper once again became the official newspaper of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania. At the end of 1992, its circulation reached 103,000 copies. However, it was soon privatized and faced shrinking readership, financial difficulties, and other controversies. In April 2006, bankruptcy proceedings were initiated by the State Tax Inspectorate when its tax debts reached more than 4 million litas. The company was liquidated in 2015, but the newspaper continues to be published by a non-profit organization.
Audrius Stonys is a Lithuanian documentary filmmaker. He is recipient of the European Film Award for the documentary film Neregių žemė in 1992 and the Lithuanian National Prize in 2002. Since 1989 he has created 13 documentaries and one short fiction film. His film Skrydis per Lietuvą arba 510 sekundžių tylos co-created with Arūnas Matelis was well received at the Expo 2000. Stonys is a member of the European Documentary Network and European Film Academy.
Algimantas Puipa is a Lithuanian film director and screenwriter. With more than 70,000 admissions, his film Whisper of Sin was a success in Lithuania. Other successful films include Forest of the Gods and Elze's Life.
Kristina Buožytė is a Lithuanian film director, screenwriter and producer. In her early films she focused on women, explored their inner world and depicted them using fantasy elements. Her science fiction film Vanishing Waves is described as a hypnotic, sensual sci-fi experience and sexually explicit sci-fi tale which was rewarded with 22 international awards in Europe and North America. Her and Bruno Samper’s latest science fiction bio-fantasy Vesper is described as melancholic fairytale.
Giedrė Beinoriūtė is a Lithuanian filmmaker, screenwriter, producer and co-founder of a film studio "Monoklis".
Juozas Balčikonis Gymnasium is a secondary state school located in Panevėžys, Lithuania. Teaching started in 1727, however, school reorganised to gymnasium in 1858, making it the oldest gymnasium type school in Lithuania. Juozo Balčikonio gimnazija is always one of the top-ranked institutions in the Lithuania for the high quality of its teaching, long lasting traditions and notable alumni.
Basketball is the most popular sport in Lithuania. During public opinion polls in Lithuania, the Lithuanians regularly describe basketball as their priority interest sport. A research in 2015 indicated that nearly 41% of all population in Lithuania watched the EuroBasket 2015 final between Lithuania and Spain and it became the most watched event of the 21st century in Lithuania. The popularity of basketball among Lithuanians led to it being nicknamed as the "second religion" in Lithuania.
Ina Marija Bartaitė was a Lithuanian film actress. She is known for her roles in Peace to Us in Our Dreams and Seneca's Day, among others.
The Vilnius Soviet of Workers Deputies was a soviet (council) in the city of Vilnius. Following end of the First World War on November 11, 1918, a political vacuum emerged in Vilnius, as the German Ober Ost project crumbled. The pro-communist Vilnius Soviet became one of the political forces seeking to govern the city competing with the Lithuanian Taryba and the Polish Samoobrona. A total of 202 deputies were elected to the soviet in December 1918. Whilst the communists formed the largest faction, the Vilnius Soviet was politically diverse. Bundists and communists clashed at the first meeting of the soviet. The soviet also did not welcome the Provisional Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Government of Lithuania headed by Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas. As such, new elections were organized after Vilnius was captured by the Red Army on January 5, 1919 during the Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919. By allowing Red Army soldiers to vote, the communist reinforced their control of the Vilnius Soviet.
Nekviesta meilė was a Lithuanian TV soap opera series. Its director was Alvydas Šlepikas assisted by Saulius Balandis and Kristina Kunčinaitė. It run for 4 seasons during 2007–2009 on the LNK TV channel.
Vilnius Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium is a gymnasium in Vilnius, Lithuania. Established in 1915, it became the first Lithuanian-language high school in the city. During the interwar period, the school was one of the key Lithuanian institutions in Vilnius Region which was incorporated into the Second Polish Republic and claimed by Lithuania. Many prominent Lithuanians worked and studied at the school.
Summer Survivors is a 2018 Lithuanian drama film written and directed by Marija Kavtaradzė.
Marija Kavtaradzė is a Lithuanian film director and screenwriter.
Poetas is a 2022 Lithuanian film, based on the true stories of Kostas Kubilinskas and Kazys Skinkys. It was written and directed by Giedrius Tamoševičius and Vytautas V. Landsbergis, and stars Donatas Želvys. The part won Želvys the Silver Crane award for best actor.
