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NOUVEAU CINÉMA MONTRÉAL 2024 Nouveau Marché

Ronaldas Tomaševičius, Lineta Lasiauskaitė • Regista e produttrice di Dead Among the Living

“La prima volta che ho avuto una telecamera tra le mani, per me è stato trasformativo: è diventata il mio modo di esplorare questa nuova vita post-dipendenza”

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- Il regista e la produttrice parlano del loro progetto selezionato per il Nouveau Marché di Montréal, su un ex tossicodipendente che racconta la sua vita attraverso l'obiettivo della sua telecamera

Ronaldas Tomaševičius, Lineta Lasiauskaitė • Regista e produttrice di Dead Among the Living

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Ronaldas Tomaševičius and Lineta Lasiauskaitė, the director and producer of Dead Among the Living, selected for the Nouveau Marché in Montreal (see the report), discuss their project, which centres on a former drug addict and homeless man who chronicles his life through the lens of his own camera.

Cineuropa: Ronaldas, this film is based on your own personal experiences. Could you share your journey to becoming a filmmaker?
Ronaldas Tomaševičius:
It’s true, I never planned to be a filmmaker. For a long time, my life was consumed by addiction. I spent over 20 years trapped in that world, where everything seemed grey and lifeless. But when I started to recover, it was as if my world suddenly burst into colour. I was seeing things anew, as if I had been given a second chance. Finding a camera was transformative for me. It became my way of exploring this new life. I had complete freedom – no one was judging or controlling me. I could express myself freely, and that was incredibly powerful.

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Lineta Lasiauskaitė: The film really did choose him. We met at film school in Lithuania, and I was immediately impressed by his talent and his authenticity. He was able to bring such raw emotion to the screen. I knew I wanted to support his vision. We worked together on student projects and attended film festivals. Ronaldas’s story is not just a personal one; it’s a universal story of redemption and of finding hope after hitting rock bottom.

How have your past experiences influenced the film? It sounds like it’s more than just a sad story.
RT:
At first, the story may seem dark. We depict the degradation of a young person who’s caught up in addiction, spiralling further each day. But there’s also a turning point. When he finally stops using, we show that life can be beautiful. The film becomes a message of hope. I wanted people to see that even from a place of despair, you can rebuild. Addiction isn’t the end of the story. There’s always a chance for a new beginning, for redemption.

Does the picture include lighter moments as well?
RT:
Yes, there is a love story that unfolds in the movie. It’s a reminder of the moments of beauty that can exist, even in dark times. Love is part of what kept me going in my own life. It gives the story a deeper emotional layer, showing that there’s more to life than just the struggles.

Lineta, what drew you to produce Dead Among the Living? What do you see in Ronaldas’s storytelling?
LL:
Ronaldas has this unique ability to create genuine empathy with his characters. Watching his work, you feel what they feel. I believed in him because he has lived this story, and he has the courage to bring it to the screen. Working with him, I saw the authenticity he brings to his storytelling. This isn’t just another film about addiction. It’s a powerful story of transformation, told by someone who has walked that path. He makes films that resonate on a human level, and I think that’s incredibly important.

Have you made any industry connections at the Nouveau Marché in order to bring this story to a wider audience?
LL:
We’re actively seeking co-producers, distributors and sales agents. We have had some promising meetings with potential partners, and the response has been positive. We’re hopeful about the connections we’ve made and the potential to reach a larger audience.

RT: We want to share this story widely. It’s about reaching out to people who can relate, who need to see that recovery is possible. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here and to find partners who believe in this message as much as we do.

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