Exclusive Deal: 'How to Divorce During the War' Sells to New Europe Ahead of Sundance Premiere
In a striking move, Lithuanian director Andrius Blaževičius's feature film "How to Divorce During the War" has been acquired by New Europe Film Sales. The deal marks the third high-profile outing for Blaževičius, following critically acclaimed films like "The Saint" and "Runner".
Set against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the story revolves around Marija, a high-flying executive, who seeks to have an honest conversation with her husband Vytas about their impending divorce - just as war breaks out. The couple must navigate their separation amidst chaos and mid-life crisis, highlighting an eerie duality between domestic struggles and the plight of Ukrainian refugees in Vilnius.
"New Europe Film Sales has been struck by Andrius' vision and universe," says Marcin Luczaj, head of acquisitions at New Europe. "The film blends a relationship drama with societal tension, striking a rare tonal balance that's both emotionally raw and sharply observant."
Featuring an ensemble cast, the film boasts an impressive creative team behind it, including DP Narvydas Naujalis, editor Anna Johnson Ryndová, production designer Greta Vileikytė, and composer Jakub Rataj. The project is produced by Marija Razgute of M-Films (Lithuania), with co-producers from Red Lion (Luxembourg), Feline Films (Ireland), and Bionaut (Czech Rep.).
With its unique blend of relationship drama and war film, "How to Divorce During the War" is poised to be a standout at this year's Sundance Film Festival. As part of New Europe's expanding slate, the deal cements the company's reputation for championing emerging voices in international cinema.
The acquisition marks an exciting development in Blaževičius's career, following his previous successes at film festivals like Warsaw and Busan. With "How to Divorce During the War", he has cemented himself as a talent to watch, crafting a powerful narrative that will undoubtedly resonate with audiences worldwide.
In a striking move, Lithuanian director Andrius Blaževičius's feature film "How to Divorce During the War" has been acquired by New Europe Film Sales. The deal marks the third high-profile outing for Blaževičius, following critically acclaimed films like "The Saint" and "Runner".
Set against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the story revolves around Marija, a high-flying executive, who seeks to have an honest conversation with her husband Vytas about their impending divorce - just as war breaks out. The couple must navigate their separation amidst chaos and mid-life crisis, highlighting an eerie duality between domestic struggles and the plight of Ukrainian refugees in Vilnius.
"New Europe Film Sales has been struck by Andrius' vision and universe," says Marcin Luczaj, head of acquisitions at New Europe. "The film blends a relationship drama with societal tension, striking a rare tonal balance that's both emotionally raw and sharply observant."
Featuring an ensemble cast, the film boasts an impressive creative team behind it, including DP Narvydas Naujalis, editor Anna Johnson Ryndová, production designer Greta Vileikytė, and composer Jakub Rataj. The project is produced by Marija Razgute of M-Films (Lithuania), with co-producers from Red Lion (Luxembourg), Feline Films (Ireland), and Bionaut (Czech Rep.).
With its unique blend of relationship drama and war film, "How to Divorce During the War" is poised to be a standout at this year's Sundance Film Festival. As part of New Europe's expanding slate, the deal cements the company's reputation for championing emerging voices in international cinema.
The acquisition marks an exciting development in Blaževičius's career, following his previous successes at film festivals like Warsaw and Busan. With "How to Divorce During the War", he has cemented himself as a talent to watch, crafting a powerful narrative that will undoubtedly resonate with audiences worldwide.
The fact that it's set during the Russia-Ukraine invasion is really timely and shows how personal struggles can happen even in the midst of chaos. Andrius Blaževičius is like a genius or something, blending relationship drama with societal tension so well - it sounds super emotional and thought-provoking! 
The Sundance premiere is going to be lit, I'm defo watching this one 
... 'How to Divorce During the War' is like the most important film of our generation 
i need to see this film ASAP and talk about it with everyone who loves cinema 
Still, you gotta give credit to New Europe for taking a chance on this film, especially with the Sundance premiere coming up. It's like the whole film industry is saying 'we see you' to the struggles of Ukrainian refugees in Vilnius... that's what we call global citizenship 
"How to Divorce During the War" - because when life gives you lemons, make lemonade... and then go to war 
Relationship goals... NOT 
and it got me thinking... this new film 'How to Divorce During the War' is kinda like that scene in the show where Rachel's trying to have a conversation with Ross about their impending divorce, but on steroids 
. I mean, can you imagine having to navigate your relationship drama while war is breaking out? It sounds super intense 
. It's like, we're so used to seeing stories about war as this super serious, dramatic thing, but to also explore relationships and midlife crises alongside it? That's bold and necessary 
. I'm hyped for this film, can't wait to see how it plays out at Sundance 
!
i need to see who's in it ASAP!
I'm really feeling for Marija, her situation is literally a nightmare amidst all the chaos of war... it's like, how do you even have conversations when the world outside is falling apart? 
OMG u guyz i just heard about dis new movie 'How to Divorce During the War' 