The Devil’s Bride/Velnio nuotaka (Arunas Zebriunas, 1974, Lithuania/USSR)

Scottish premiere

Lithuanian director Arūnas Žebriūnas is best known for his contemplative black and white films exploring children’s lives and inner worlds, such as The Beauty and The Girl and the Echo. Fast-paced (if often at risk of losing coherence), The Devil’s Bride stands out from his other works – and much of Lithuanian cinema. Loosely based on a novella by Kazys Boruta, originally written during the German occupation and then re-written in Soviet Lithuania a couple of decades later, the musical (often also referred to as a rock opera) has become somewhat of a cult classic.

Drawing from traditional folklore and infusing it with some Catholic imagery, The Devil’s Bride opens with an incredibly camp musical sequence where Pinčiukas is among many angel-turned-imp creatures that God expels from heaven for daring to have lustful and gluttonous fun. Having fallen into a countryside lake, he is found by the miller, Baltaragis, who provides him with shelter at the windmill. The two make a pact where Baltaragis promises the little devil happiness he does not yet possess. This comes in the form of his daughter’s hand, but Jurga (played by Vaiva Mainelytė, who also plays her mother) falls in love with someone else. When the time comes, Baltaragis tries to play a trick on Pinčiukas, who does not take it well and proceeds to wreak havoc on the village.

The 2024 edition of Samizdat is supported by Screen Scotland’s National Lottery Film Festival and Screening Fund and Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funds from Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible, English subtitles, SDH subtitles (Closed Captions), Pay-what-you-can tickets (£0-£8)

If you want to attend this screening but find it unaffordable, you may be able to have the cost of your ticket, commute, and/or childcare covered by the Audience Access Fund — see here for further details.

Content notes: Depictions of violence, death and a funeral scene.

Access notes: Some loud sounds, music throughout.