“Drowning Dry”, interview with director Laurynas Bareiša

At the Locarno Film Festival, Fred Film Radio spoke with director Laurynas Bareiša about his film “Drowning Dry”, which is in competition at the festival. The film centres around a family vacation that takes a dark turn after a near-tragic event, exploring themes of trauma and its lingering effects.

Exploring trauma and its aftermath

“Drowning Dry” draws from Laurynas Bareiša‘s personal experience with his child, who nearly choked in a close call that left a lasting impact. “Even though nothing happened, that ‘nothing’ is still an event,” Bareiša explains. He wanted to delve into how an almost tragedy can subtly yet profoundly alter relationships and self-perception. The film uses this concept to explore how people grapple with the emotional ripples of events that didn’t fully materialize.

Symbolism of Dry Drowning

The title “Drowning Dry” works on both literal and metaphorical levels. In the film, one of the characters almost drowns, leading to a condition that mirrors the emotional state of the other characters. “It’s a metaphor for relationships,” Laurynas Bareiša says, highlighting how couples and individuals can appear fine on the surface but are silently struggling, “drowning” in their inability to communicate or connect. The metaphor extends to societal issues, such as overconsumption and environmental disregard, illustrating how people continue harmful behaviors despite knowing the consequences.

Challenging the audience

Laurynas Bareiša is committed to challenging his audience, believing that cinema should provoke thought and evoke new emotions. “You have this one and a half hours with the audience; it’s valuable time,” he notes. His goal is to create a film experience that can’t be easily reduced to simple explanations but instead leaves a lasting impression, even if it’s uncomfortable. He emphasizes the power of cinema to merge narrative, structure, visuals, and sound into something uniquely impactful.

Cultural and linguistic challenges

As a Lithuanian filmmaker, Laurynas Bareiša faces challenges in maintaining his cultural identity while reaching an international audience. Originally titled Seses, “sisters” in Lithuanian, the film was renamed“Drowning Dry” for its international release to better convey its layered themes. “Through translation, you lose some things, but you can also gain something,” he explains, acknowledging the complexities of presenting a culturally specific story to a global audience.

Laurynas Bareiša‘s “Drowning Dry” is a thought-provoking exploration of trauma, memory, and the hidden struggles within relationships. By drawing from personal experience and challenging both himself and his audience, Bareiša has crafted a film that resonates on multiple levels, leaving viewers with much to ponder long after the credits roll.