Myazha Narvilishak

Today Narvilishky, inhabited solely by Belarusians, none of whom speak Lithuanian, is called Norviliskes and finds itself separated from the neighboring Belarusian village of Pyatskuny by a borderline. In 2004 this border was transformed into an external frontier of the EU and has been guarded accordingly ever since. Families and neighbors are divided, their attempts to stay in contact hindered by ever ubiquitous hurdles and a general sense of enmity. Director Dmitri Makhomet’s sensitive camerawork draws us closer to the protagonists, allowing us to share in the concerns and hardships they suffer as a result of the border situation. His ability to capture particularly special moments make this a unique work, reminiscent in its subject matter of the dislocation caused by the Berlin Wall. MM