Toxic (Lithuanian: Akiplėša, lit. 'a bold, shameless person') is a 2024 Lithuanian drama film written and directed by Saulė Bliuvaitė in her feature directorial debut. Starring newcomers Vesta Matulytė and Ieva Rupeikaitė, it tells the story of two 13-year-old girls who attend a modeling school that pushes them to their physical and emotional limits. The film premiered at the 77th Locarno Film Festival, where it won the Golden Leopard.
| Toxic | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Lithuanian | Akiplėša |
| Directed by | Saulė Bliuvaitė |
| Written by | Saulė Bliuvaitė |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Vytautas Katkus |
| Edited by | Ignė Narbutaitė |
| Music by | Gediminas Jakubka |
Production company | Akis Bado |
| Distributed by | Bendita Film Sales |
Release date |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | Lithuania |
Plot
edit13-year-old Marija's mother has sent her to live with her grandmother in a bleak unnamed industrial town. Marija is tall and lean but walks with a slight limp, making her the target of school bullies.
In particular, temperamental Kristina is constantly targeting Marija. While Kristina is from a somewhat more intact family, her father prefers to spend his time with his girlfriend. In the changing room at the swimming pool, Kristina steals Marija's designer jeans from her locker. When the two girls meet again auditing for a model agency, Kristina cockily shows off Marija's jeans. After a brawl over the jeans on the street, surprisingly, the two girls become close friends. Kristina is more courageous than Marija and believes herself to be smart enough to survive on the street. Both girls start hanging out with older boys, who provide them with alcohol and drugs, but not without asking for favors in return. Kristina also talks Marija into applying at a modeling school which is popular among the girls at school.
To achieve their dream of successful modeling careers, Marija and Kristina develop different strategies. Marija tries hard to hide her limp on the catwalk. An instructor at the agency prefers her over the other girls for her particular appearance and height, which leads to jealousy. Kristina tries to lose weight with tapeworm eggs she has ordered on the Internet. She is surprised to find out that her father has sold his car so she can participate in an overpriced photo shoot. Marija is confronted with the unexpected return of her mother, who would like to take her back home, but Marija refuses to leave.
Cast
edit- Vesta Matulytė as Marija
- Ieva Rupeikaitė as Kristina
- Giedrius Savickas as Šarūnas, Kristina's father
- Vilma Raubaitė
- Eglė Gabrėnaitė
Production
editWriter and director Saulė Bliuvaitė was inspired the 2011 documentary film Girl Model, as well as her own experiences as an aspiring model in her youth.[1][2] She stated, "Through the story of young girls navigating toxic landscapes, I wanted to explore the concept of the human body – the body as a project, currency, an object of desire, the body as a source of pain and magic."[3]
The process of casting the two leads took roughly two years.[4] Filming took place in Kaunas and Vilnius in mid-2023.[5] Bendita Film Sales secured the international distribution rights to the film in July 2024.[6]
Reception
editCritical response
editMariana Hristova of Cineuropa wrote, "It is rare for a film with an even narrative to hold viewers' attention from beginning to end. With Toxic, this happens miraculously, perhaps thanks to the genuine close-up portrayals of both female protagonists – each of whom is a narrative in herself – and the growing affectionate relationship between them."[7] Amber Wilkinson of Screen Daily wrote that the film "benefits from a pair of excellent performances from the young, first-time leads, with [Vesta] Matulytė's more introspective approach dovetailing perfectly with the mercurial energy [Ieva] Rupeikaitė brings to Kristina."[8] Guy Lodge of Variety also commended the performances of Matulytė and Rupeikaitė, calling them "extraordinary".[9]
Accolades
edit| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locarno Film Festival | 17 August 2024 | Golden Leopard | Toxic | Won | [10][11] |
| First Feature Award | Won | ||||
| Ecumenical Jury Prize | Won |
References
edit- ^ Szalai, Georg (15 August 2024). "'Toxic' Director Explores the Human Body and Mysterious Model Agencies in Her Feature Debut". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Bleasdale, John (9 August 2024). "Locarno Competition Entry Explores the Impact on Teenage Girls of a 'Toxic' Culture: 'I Wanted to Make This Film Very Fleshy'". Variety. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ "Akiplėša". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Vilnelė, Greta (11 August 2023). "Suaugę vaikai". Žurnalas „Kinas“ (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Kažukauskaite, Neringa (22 June 2023). "PRODUCTION: Lithuanian Director Saulė Bliuvaitė Shoots Debut Feature Toxic". Film New Europe. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Lang, Jamie (10 July 2024). "Bendita Film Sales Acquires Lithuanian Locarno Competition Player 'Toxic' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Hristova, Mariana (15 August 2024). "Review: Toxic". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Wilkinson, Amber (17 August 2024). "'Toxic': Locarno Review". Screen Daily. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Lodge, Guy (17 August 2024). "'Toxic' Review: Unstinting Lithuanian Teen Drama Follows Catwalk Dreams In a Concrete Nightmare". Variety. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Szalai, Georg (17 August 2024). "Locarno Film Festival Top Prize Goes to Lithuanian Drama 'Toxic,' the Feature Debut of Saule Bliuvaite". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Lodge, Guy (17 August 2024). "Lithuanian Teen Drama 'Toxic' Wins Big at Locarno Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 19 August 2024.