Summer Survivors (Lithuanian: Ià ¡gyventi vasarà) is a 2018 Lithuanian drama film written and directed by Marija KavtaradzÃÂ.
It aims to portray mental illnesses, their impact on the lives of young adults, and their resilience.
The film had its world premiere on September 7, 2018, at the Toronto International Film Festival, its European premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on November 22, 2018, and its Lithuanian premiere at the Vilnius International Film Festival (Kino Pavasaris) in April 2019.
An ambitious young research psychologist, IndrÃÂ, portrayed by IndràPatkauskaitÃÂ, agrees to transport two patients, played by GelminàGlemà ¾aitàand Paulius MarkeviÃÂius, from one psychiatric unit to another in exchange for research privileges at her clinic. She finds herself the leader of a rather rag-tag band on the long journey to the sea. Outgoing Paulius is a young man whose manic stage of his bipolar disorder stands in great contrast to the introvert Justàwhose wounds are hidden from sight, but they both struggle to fight the inner battles that define them. As they all navigate the survival process together, what looks like a carefree summer ride with friends sharing laughs from the outside, could actually be the beginning of healing in this bittersweet story that â just like summer â is full of hopes, surprises and the promise that anything is possible.
This film is the debut film written and directed by Marija KavtaradzÃÂ.
This is the first collaboration between Marija KavtaradzÃÂ, as a director and writer, and producer Marija RazgutÃÂ, following KavtaradzÃÂ's co-writing on the film The Saint produced by M-Films.
Summer Survivors achieved 26k admissions in the Lithuanian box office, making it the most appreciated independent Lithuanian film in 2019.
Filming began on 24 August 2017, and ended on 25 September 2017.
The film received generally positive reviews from both critics and audiences, with an average score of 7.5/10 based on over 1500 collected votes on the IMDb.