Dedicated to the Lithuanian film rebel — a talent Michelangelo Antonioni would have wanted in his films, if not for the Iron Curtain.

Budraitis has appeared in more than 120 films, including Estonian productions, playing roles from revolutionaries to crowned heads. Recently celebrating his 85th birthday, he has worked not only in Lithuania but also in studios across Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. One of those who noticed his talent was Michelangelo Antonioni, who invited him to collaborate after seeing Czech director Jan Schmidt’s 1969 adventure film The Lanfier Colony, in which Budraitis played the leading role. His career spans from the Cannes-screened Wounded Game (1977) to a cameo in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.

To honour Budraitis, PÖFF will screen Nerijus Milerius’ documentary Old Man’s Journeys, a film shaped by memory fragments — scenes, reflections, and cinematic traces that weave together Budraitis’s youth, his many roles, and the passage of time. The documentary emphasises place and experience, as Budraitis revisits filming locations, reflects on past projects and friendships, and contemplates the notion of unfinished work — offering a nostalgic and deeply personal look at the life of an actor whose career spans decades.

The festival will also screen Sand in Your Hair by Mantas Verbiejus, featuring Budraitis in a memorable supporting role. The film is a tender and visually poetic story about love, freedom, and defiance in the later chapters of life. The film follows Malvina, a former ballerina, and Kipras — played by legendary actor Juozas Budraitis — a painter whose chance encounter rekindles a sense of passion and rebellion in both. Together, they challenge society’s quiet expectations of ageing and discover that it’s never too late to live fully.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to the laureate at the PÖFF Opening Ceremony, which takes place on Friday, November 7 at 7 p.m. at the Alexela Concert Hall.