Vilnius review: A Lifelike Fairy Tale (2025)
Kino Pavasaris
Short Film Competition
World Premiere
Winter is no laughing matter for homeless people, especially in places where temperatures can drop dramatically to 20-30° below zero. Sleeping outside is impossible, and the top priority for people living on the streets becomes finding a shelter to keep them warm.
The Lithuanian director Rinaldas Tomaševičius knows this all too well. The graduate of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater with an MA degree in film directing was a drug addict who experienced homelessness. Now 12 years clean, he has made it his task to help people who do not conform to social norms. His short drama Paskutinis kartas, about a couple fighting addiction, took the Main Prize at Filmfestival Cottbus in 2022. His next work -15, about an ex-con trying to reconnect with his daughter while feeling guilty about her self-destructive path, was shown in the Future Frames – generation NEXT of European Cinema competition of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival last year.
The latest venture into the lives of those who struggle—A Lifelike Fairy Tale—celebrates its world premiere in Kino Pavasaris in Vilnius. It is the helmer’s third film inspired by his own experiences and those of others from the margins. In addition to his scriptwriter and director tasks, Tomaševičius slips into one of the key roles in his raw drama, which stars non-actors playing more or less themselves. He chooses to be the bringer of bad news, and a direct threat to people occupying an abandoned house in the suburbs of Vilnius.
The opening scene introduces us to a group of friends rummaging through garbage. It is Christmas time in the city (and we know it by the bling-bling kitchy decoration), and people are particularly generous in tossing away things they don’t need. Containers overflow with thrown-away food, bottles, cans, clothes and even more festive things like a bag full of Santa’s hats. They are the proud occupants of an abandoned house whose owner left to work and live in England. With his return and sudden claim of his property, men feel justifyingly threatened, but they stubbornly refuse to leave even after the police is called for help.
With its crisp photography, and a documentary feel, A Lifelike Fairy Tale is a hybrid fiction movie whose weakness lies in an occasionally romanticized depiction of the brotherhood of social outcasts. However, it’s done with a lot of warmth and humour, set to the music of Antonio Vivaldi and Niccolo Paganini to boost the cheerful energy.
The movie celebrates its world premiere in the director’s home country Lithuania, at Kino Pavasaris Festival in Vilnius.
Original Title: Pasaka kaip gyvenimas
Genre: Drama
Country: Lithuania
Language: Lithuanian
Year: 2025
Runtime: 18′
Production Company: LMTA, Plopsas
Producer: Lineta lasiauskaite
Written & directed by: Rinaldas Tomaševičius
Cinematographer: Nojus Drasutis
Sound: Larynas kamarauskas
Cast: Rinaldas Tomaševičius, Ruslanas gavrilovas, Eugenijus Aikovskij, Rimas Aliušis,
Vytautas Vaičiulis, Tadeuš Rutkovskij, Benas Liandzbergis, Renatas Kačinauskas
Distribution: Alpha Film
