Competition Documentaries, Lithuania / France 2013, 61 Min.
Three nameless soldiers – two Russians and a German – have been lying in a common grave for 70 years. One night during the war, they were hastily buried at the foot of an oak tree near Utena. For decades, the Lithuanian family of farmers who buried them kept it secret. Finally in 2011, Jonas, the 73-year-old son of the family, decided to search for the grave and give the men a respectable burial. One issue is whether long-ago fears have been overcome. Will Jonas Bienen Blazys be able to find the unknown soldiers, identify them, and bring each to an appropriate resting place? The film follows his efforts as he tries to make things right. "Cenotaph" received the Lithuanian Film Prize for best documentary in 2014.
No screenings are available for this film.