Calls and birthday greetings pour in, carrying words of admiration. Irena Veisaitė is turning 92. A remarkable woman and leading voice in Lithuania’s culture, Irena lived through the horrors of two totalitarian regimes—and came out on the other side—with an unabating belief that life should be radiant. 

The Nazi occupation cut her childhood short at just age 13, robbing her of birth mother and sending her to a Jewish ghetto. Then came another occupation, by the Soviets, which took away her second mother figure, who saved her from the Nazis by raising her like one of her own. 

A deeply personal, nuanced portrait of Irena, the film is a testimony to her humanity, vigour, and courage to live and to forgive. Irena passed away in 2020, early in the film’s production. This led director Giedrė Žickytė to find new ways to bring her story to life, exploring its emotional and historical contours through footage from Irena’s final year, unseen archives, echoing her memory. Music by her lifelong friend and celebrated composer Arvo Pärt flows through the narrative, evoking reflections on loss and the enduring power of love.

What unfolds is an artistic act of homage to a woman’s spirit and her commitment to a life free of hatred. In today’s fracturing world, this may be the guiding light we need.

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