This film is a journey to a lost paradise. A journey with cheerful, creative, restless troublemakers – the “Anthology gang”, raging in restless 90s New York, a city that will never be the same again.

Logline

The film uncovers a hidden chapter in Anthology Film Archives’ history, where young Lithuanian artists played a pivotal role. Following Andy Warhol’s death in 1987, the Archives faced financial collapse. Jonas Mekas, struggling to secure funds for building repairs and maintenance, saw weekends-only film screenings and graffiti-covered walls. The arrival of the “Anthology gang” from Lithuania in the 1990s injected fresh life into the cinema temple. Previously known only to insiders, this story reveals unseen footage and testimonies, shedding light on its profound impact on independent cinema’s revival.

Synopsis

The film begins with a grim backdrop: following Andy Warhol’s death in 1987, Anthology Film Archives faces financial collapse. Jonas Mekas desperately seeks funds to cover debts for repairs and technical upkeep of the building. With no money for salaries, films are only shown on weekends, graffiti covers abandoned walls, and the basement constantly floods. The situation deteriorated until the 1990s, when the “Anthology gang” arrived from Lithuania. Their dedication to Jonas Mekas and youthful enthusiasm breathe new life into the independent cinema temple – Anthology Film Archives.

Until now, this story remained confined to insiders, with no publication or detailed exploration in film. While fragments occasionally surface in films about Jonas Mekas, their collective impact on Anthology’s revival and independent cinema as a whole has yet to be fully uncovered.

Much of this history survives through filmed episodes and audio recordings, captured by key figures like Audrius and Dalius Naujokaitis (Naujo), Julius Ziz, and Eugenijus Varkulevičius (Auguste Varkalis) in the 1990s. Alongside Julius Ziz’s memories, testimonies from others involved in the restoration process will be interwoven with Jonas Mekas’ filmed footage, generously provided by Sebastian Mekas.

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Contact: producer Ringailė Leščinskienė, email: ringaile@zerocopy.lt, phone: +37067789371