CFD 25|Toxic

Glocal Images International Competition Section
Toxic
Akipleša
99', 2024, Lithuania

Abandoned by her mother, 13-year-old Maria is forced to live with her grandmother in a bleak industrial town. During a violent clash on the street, Maria meets Kristina, a girl of the same age who is striving to become a fashion model. Trying to get closer to her, Maria enrolls in a mysterious modelling school, where the girls are preparing for the biggest casting event in the region. Her ambiguous relationship with Kristina and the intense, cult-like environment of the modelling school force Maria on a quest to discover her own identity.

Saulė Bliuvaitė is a Lithuanian film director, screenwriter, and editor. She graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in 2018 and began her filmmaking career with several short films, while also co-writing Isaac, Lithuania’s submission for the 2022 Academy Award for Best International Feature. Her debut feature, Toxic, premiered in the international competition at Locarno Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Golden Leopard. Since its debut, Toxic has garnered numerous international accolades and was nominated for the European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI at the European Film Awards.

Directed by Saulė Bliuvaitė
Screenplay Saulė Bliuvaitė
Cinematography Vytautas Katkus
Editing Igne Narbutaite
Production design Paulius Aničas
Art direction Justė Vazgytė
Music Gediminas Jakubka
Costume design Aura Narmontaitė
Sound design Julius Grigelionis, Vytis Puronas
Cast Vesta Matulionytė, Ieva Rupeikaitė, Giedrius Savickas, Vilma Raubaitė, Eglė Gabrėnaitė
Producer Giedrė Burokaitė
Production company Akis Bado

Filmography
2024 Toxic
2021 Limousine (s.f.)

Selected Awards
Golden Leopard for Best Film, First Feature Award, Ecumenical Jury Award, Locarno Film Festival, Switzerland, 2024.
Best Feature Film, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma de Montréal, Canada, 2024.
Youth Jury Award, Leiden IFF, Netherlands, 2024.
Kinotrip Young Jury Award, Ljubljana IFF, Slovenia, 2024.
Best Feature Film & Best Actress Awards, IFFI Goa, India, 2024.
Best Cinematography & Cineuropa Awards, Les Arcs FF, France, 2024.
Best Feature Film Award, Trieste Film Festival, Italy, 2025.