“The Visitor”, interview with director Vytautas Katkus

After premiering at the latest Karloff Vary Film Festival, where it won the award for Best director, “The Visitor (Svečias)”, renowned cinematographer Vytautas Katkus’ debut feature, lands the 37th Trieste Film Festival’s competition.

Shot in 16 mm, “The Visitor” could be considered as a late coming of age of a 30 year old who recently became a father and finds himself in a situation where he’s forced to return to his hometown in Lithuania to sell his childhood flat.

An Intimate Exploration of Memory and Belonging

“Sometimes, you need to return for a while just to understand that it’s no longer your place.” says Katkus in his director’s notes. “The Visitor”, indeed, explores the feeling of not really belonging to a place anymore while confronting memories of the past and experience a strange in between feeling.

The three key words for the film: loneliness, atmosphere, father-son relationship

The starting points for “The Visitor” were, for Katkus, three main topics he couldn’t explore enough with his short films: loneliness, the father-son relationship and the atmosphere, in terms of the environment a person lives in. The latter is treated by the director as a character itself, sharing the stage with the protagonist, Danielius.

Explaining the title

“Danielius feels like an alien in this place he once grew up in and belonged to” says Vytautas Katkus, explaining the reason for the film’s international title, echoing those genre alien movies.

The film explores not just physical relocation but also the emotional journey of understanding oneself through the lens of past and present. It stands out for its unique approach to storytelling, blending documentary-style realism with emotional depth. Danielius is afraid of losing his roots yet yearns to let go of memories tied to his childhood environment. This duality invites viewers to reflect on their own feelings of belonging and the ways memories shape our identity. The film’s ability to establish a strong empathy for the main character makes it resonate on a deeply personal level.

The Narrative structure

“The Visitor – Svečias” employs a non-narrative, puzzle-like structure, divided into chapters that each depict different facets of loneliness and human experience. Katkus’ style incorporates various cinematic elements—absurdity, musical moments, and visual poetry—to mirror Danielius’ complex mental landscape. This stylistic approach allows the audience to piece together the story, making the experience immersive and introspective.

Plot