Farewell (2010)

"FAREWELL" is an insightful contemporary feature set in present day Lithuania; its local port town of Klaipeda, the capital Vilnius and a rural village. Autumn and winter form the backdrop for this human story of Life and Death. AUDRIUS is a 32 years old Lithuanian seaman. He is generous and fair, passionate and strong. He's divorced, just like his parents, and has a six years old son to whom he shows his colorful travel videos from faraway countries. Audrius has a terrible secret that only his girlfriend knows about. And it is only to her that he admits his fear. "Farewell" is the story of a man who comes ashore for the last time to face everyone he loves and cares for, to make up with them, to say farewell. It's a display of colorful characters in their search for place and meaning. And it is an exploration of the complexity and fragility of human ties and bonds. The story unfolds through Audrius' journey and his many encounters over the weekend as autumn turns to winter. All the time he is driven by a severe lack of time. Inadequate actions and reactions make sense when we find out what his secret is: he's dying of Leukemia. We feel for him as he stoically goes through all the stages of death: Anger, Denial, Bargaining and Acceptance. During a family gathering in his grandmother's village, surrounded by most of the film's characters and after reassuring his son, he makes a final attempt to find resolve and peace. The film is a moving universal story, uplifting and heart warming, verbally laconic and visually rich. It is a clear-cut story of the human spirit, which is both relentless and immortal.