ÉCU-European Independent Film Festival- Since its inception in 2006, ÉCU has dedicated 20 years to becoming the premier global platform for incredible independent films. In the years which followed ÉCU became an event for filmmakers searching for a platform to display their work. Besides this, the festival continues the tradition of creating an active international community which developes and promotes independent filmmakers.

ÉCU has gone further beyond Europe focusing on supporting filmmakers, throughout the Asia- Pacific region, Africa and the Americas. This underscores ECU’s commitment to uplifting filmmakers worldwide. On its 20th anniversary, ÉCU stands as a beacon of creativity and innovation embodying the resilience of filmmakers.

In order to maintain the spirit of the festival, we have endeavored to get back with the filmmakers who were associated with the past Official Selections of ÉCU. We also wished to ask them about their production, about their activity within the year that the production is being selected in the festival, and what they are working on now.

In this publication of the alumni series, we got chance to have interviews with some film directors from Official Selections of the festival from 2014, including: In Comedy film: Victor Nores for his ‘Eutanas S. A. ’ In the dramatic feature: Romas Zabarauskas for ‘We Will Riot’.

The first interview which we conducted was with Victor Nores.

To mark the twentieth anniversary of ÉCU in 2025, Nores outlined his career in the movie business. First of all, Victor Nores defines himself not only as a director, but as a ‘storyteller’ though this title reflects the author’s work as well. “I think, I am a storyteller but not just a filmmaker; it’s different” he stated. For Nores, the core of his job implies being,writing and telling stories, which, he stated, is the base for any film-making work. As he said, he get his inspiration from Ancient Greek and Roman traditions, where both thinkers and performers aimed to think and respond to society through stories .

For Nores, creative storytelling and filmmaking instincts evolved at the earliest stages of childhood. He remembered an incident during is childhood when the teacher questioned him about longing plans. “It was when I was perhaps around eight years and that is when I wrote that my desire was to become a football player, an actor or even a filmmaker”. When he discovered that sports may not be for him he shifted to art and came to his profession of writing stories and making films for the cinema.

His passion for filmmaking was made deeper a few years back when he decided to complete a drastic alteration in his lifestyle. “ So I thought that it would be better for me to leave the job as a manager in the multinational company and spend all my time making movies”, Nores said. This has made him go to the extent of filming his first feature film, which will definitely make him a more committed director in the filming industry.

Among the works of Nores on display at ÉCU there is one, which is a loosely based life and death story that carries bitterness of black comedy. It is a story of an old woman who wants to kill herself because she considers herself a nuisance to her family which she can achieve through a company that sells incredible ways to die. The book is a sad story of an old woman who is considered sick and useless by her family and she longs to die so that the family can be happy. But there is a twist in the tale when she feels that her family’s farewell was fake and so she plots to get back at them. In this narrative, Nores explores social issues like family relationships, gender, and cultural expectations, and human desire for respect which the deceased deserve.

We also intended to know his experience with ÉCU during the interview. Nores stated his deep gratification and interest on the matter. He contrasted participating at large global festivals to releasing a film and emphasized on the opportunity that constant interaction with audiences and critics provide. Since then, he shared his thoughts saying, “For me, a festival like ÉCU is actually better than releasing a film in theaters.” Nores insisted that unlike theatrical releases which can sometimes make a filmmaker feel after the filming is done and the first showing is over, festivals give constant engagement with fans and other directors. “In your festival or similar ones you show and share the experience with a lot of people during the festival and also after it as the movie goes to other festivals,” he said.

Looking ahead, Nores is working on a new film project which is expected to begin production in 2026. The upcoming film is a thriller-drama the harrowing tale of a fishing boat accident from the perspective of the wife of the sole sailor yet to be rescued. “It’s about the crew of a fishing boat, told from the point of view of the wife of the only sailor still to be rescued,” Nores explained. The narrative will delve into her struggles as she confronts the tragedy and deals with gossip from those who doubt the nature of the accident.

In regard to his experiences, Nores offers valuable pieces of advice for those who looking to pursue a career in filmmaking or storytelling. “Dedicate all your efforts, just like athletes, whether you are in or out of the Olympics—it’s worth it,” he advised. He underscores the importance of hard work, perseverance, and enjoyment in the creative process, encouraging emerging artists to fully immerse themselves in their craft and relish every moment of their journey.

In the second interview, we were privileged to speak with Romas Zabarauskas.

Zabarauskas also provided valuable information about the cinema industry to commemorate ÉCU’s 20th year in 2025. First, Zabarauskas emerged on the international scene with the first shot Porno Melodrama, which was shown at the Berlin Film Festival’s Panorama in 2011. This initiated him to a phased career that has been producing five feature films of which the last titled The Activist is expected to be out by 2008. Speaking of the process, the filmmaker also pointed out the reasons for multitasking as a producer, writer, and director since funding and shooting queer films in Lithuania were extremely difficult.

“We Will Riot” is one of the most famous works of his which is the debut feature film that was quite challenging for him. The story of the black DJ named Luke from New York who finds out that he has a Lithuanian grandmother, fights against the mayor, who is involved in human trafficking, and falls in love was rather intricate; this movie was shot in both New York and Lithuania. Nonetheless, the challenges that the filmmaker faced can teach one how to look at filmmaking from a different perspective. They also observed that; “My last film, The Writer, is a complete opposite of that movie,” Despite the fact that it contains only two characters and represents a conversation between two people, it took me many years and experience to understand that one can make something smaller and more simple, and still, it will be as complex as before.

Beyond personal creative growth, Romas has also contributed to promoting Lithuanian culture on the international stage. Their involvement in curating Lithuanian queer films for the upcoming Sharia Ref Film Festival in France is a testament to their dedication to both their craft and their cultural roots.

“We’re proud to be part of the Lithuanian season in France this autumn, where there will be a lot of Lithuanian cultural events,” they said. “I’m excited to share that The Writer will have its French premiere on November 16, and I hope to see a curious audience there.”

When asked about advice for aspiring filmmakers and scriptwriters Romas Zabarauskas emphasized the importance of perseverance in an industry that can often be discouraging. “It’s a very difficult industry, and it’s important not to get discouraged. Seek your own success story because, at the end of the day, the biggest success stories are always unique.” They encouraged emerging artists to keep pushing forward, knocking on every door possible, and finding their own path in a challenging but rewarding field.

To summarize, since its foundation, ÉCU has demonstrated itself by its dedication to nourishing the spirit of filmmaking worldwide. For the upcoming the twentieth anniversary of the festival in 2025, we are honored to get a chance to have interviews with filmmakers who were a part of our festival. In this publication of Alumni series, we had interview with Victor Nores and Romas Zabarauskas who were shared valuable insights about their careers within filmmaking.

To learn more about our “ÉCU Alumni: Where Are They Now?” series, check our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ecufilmfestival/featured