We are talking to Robertas Urbonas, the executive director of the Lithuanian film studio. And we get known that it was supposed to shoot such famous films as "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List" in Lithuania.

The producers from USA arrive to Lithuania to shoot films more often than ever. Maybe beautiful Lithuanian nature attracts them so, or maybe small expenses of the shooting. Last summer not far away from the Lithuanian film studio, in the woods of Antakalnis, serial "Robin Hood" was being shot, and now mini sterial "Attila" is being shot.

Lithuanian film studio several times carried on negotiations with the well-known sound producer Steven Spielberg. Before shooting popular and with Oscar awarded films "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan" the representatives of S.Spielberg traveled about the country looking for the creative materials.

And now we are talking to Robertas Urbonas, the executive director of the Lithuanian film studio.

-Is it true that you had an opportunity to negotiate with S.Spielberg?

-At first it was expected to shoot the film "Saving Private Ryan" in Lithuania. The representatives of S.Spilberg phoned, and we came to an agreement that they would arrive to look around. Even the personal airplanes were ordered. But they changed their mind; they found both set and army somewhere else. Nobody also knows that before shooting S.Spielberg’s "Schindler's List", which have won five Oscars, at first the characters were chosen in Lithuania. Later only Krakow was chosen for the shooting.

-It seems, that "Attila", the shooting of which is almost ended, is one of the pretenders to be awarded by "Emi".

-To tell the truth, I give 99 percent that this film will be awarded by "Emi". I consider myself to be an expert in this field, and to my mind I am able to evaluate possibility of this film to win.

-In one of the TV programs you said you would use the money received from the projects with foreign countries for the financing the revival of the Lithuanian cinema.

-Not so long ago several Lithuanian films were shot, and "Elzë ið Giljos" is one of them. Now together with the director Jonas Vaitkus we will begin creating a film about partisans "Absolutely Alone". But, As a matter of fact, Lithuania is not the country of the commercial cinema. And nobody creates commercial cinema no only because the professional creators are absent, but because Lithuania is too poor to finance it.

-What Lithuanian websites do you mostly view?

-Out of the professional interest I look what the film studios of the other countries produce, what is new there, what they are doing. Furthermore, I get a lot of letters from colleagues who I am working with. It is difficult even to list the studios with which we contact. "Warner Brothers" and "Hallmark" are among them. We have begun the primary negotiations with "Disney", which is going to shoot a very serious historical film "Robin Hood". For a time the serial about "Robin Hood" was also being shot in Lithuania. And this is normally, because it is beautiful Lithuanian nature that attracts the producers of historical films or films on war. But of course if the foreigner needs helicopters or something else of that kind, he will probably shoot in New York, were decorations already are.

-Is Lithuanian animation still alive?

-We continue producing animation films, which last for five minutes. This year they successfully participated in the festival. We are thinking of the creation of the serial Pig Chiuk. The main problem to reach success is money. The animation market is very complicated; our films are too short. The Pig Chiuk might be very popular, but we have only 2 series, not 52.

– Tank you for the conversation.

You may read more:
S.Spielbergs website
Lithuanian film studio’s website