What is "How to Divorce During the War" about?

It's a Lithuanian film by Andrius Blaževičius that intertwines a couple's divorce with the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, exploring personal and national anxieties.

Who are the main actors in "How to Divorce During the War"?

The main actors are Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė and Marius Repšys, who portray the couple navigating their separation.

What is the film's setting and tone?

The film is set in Lithuania and is described as a drily witty, subtly searing comedy with arch realism and measured formal control.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Divorce & War: A Lithuanian Couple's Double Crisis

Divorce & War: A Lithuanian Couple's Double Crisis

1 Feb

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Summary

Lithuanian film explores divorce coinciding with Ukraine war.
Couple's personal crisis mirrors national anxieties.
Performances capture complex emotional states amid turmoil.

Divorce & War: A Lithuanian Couple's Double Crisis

The Lithuanian film "How to Divorce During the War" by Andrius Blaževičius intertwines a couple's personal separation with the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine. Marija, a media executive, and Vytas, a screenwriter, find their divorce proceedings complicated by the war occurring in a neighboring country. This dual crisis shapes a disorienting period for their family, including their daughter Dovile.

The film deftly examines how personal angst can be channeled into social activism, with both Marija and Vytas making gestures of engagement. Marija resigns from her company in protest of its Russian branch and takes in Ukrainian refugees, while Vytas engages in performance art and attempts to counter Russian propaganda.

Blaževičius' distinctive style, featuring measured formal control and tender observation, is evident in scenes like an early long take capturing the divorce announcement through a car window. The narrative explores whether the characters' actions stem from human reactions to difficult times or from insidious compromises and hypocrisies they choose to live with.