Film Screening of the 2026 Lithuanian submission for the Academy Awards – How to Divorce During the War

Join us for a film screening of Lithuania's submission for the Academy Awards with commentary from Maarja Merivoo-Parro, CEO of Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom and Gabrielius Landsbergis, visiting fellow and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.

How to Divorce During the War takes place in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2022. High-flying executive, Marija (Zygimante Elena Jakstaite), chooses the worst possible moment to inform her husband, Vytas (Marius Repsys), that she wants a divorce: just one day before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Suddenly the couple must navigate the process of separation as it collides with a refugee and mid-life crisis. A struggling film director, Vytas is put into a tight spot by having to move in with his Russophile parents, while Marija struggles to find her footing as the war affects both her business and home life.

As the reason for the divorce gradually becomes clear, the dissolution of Marija and Vytas’ marriage creates conflicts and opportunities for both of them, while also affecting their ever-observant young daughter, Dovile. Packed with surprises along with much heartache and soul searching, Andrius Blaževičius’ nuanced and timely family drama skillfully depicts the fallout of a marriage against the backdrop of extraordinary events with humor and compassion.

Dr. Maarja Merivoo-Parro is the CEO of Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn, Estonia. She is a public intellectual dedicated to exploring the history of mentality at the crossroads of culture and politics. She is a Fulbright scholar and Marie Curie fellow with extensive field work experience among Estonian communities from Abkhazia to Australia. Her most recent book received the Best European Learning Material Award BELMA at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair. Dr. Merivoo-Parro also bridges academia and society through documentary films, television, and radio programs. In 2026, she served as a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University.

Gabrielius Landsbergis is a current visiting fellow at Stanford, and served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania prior to his appointment as the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Visiting Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute during the academic year 2025-2026. Previously, he was the chairman of the Homeland Union Party while concurrently a member of the Lithuanian Parliament. Before assuming these roles, Landsbergis was also a member of the European Parliament and began his career as a diplomat for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. Landsbergis’ tenure serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs was defined by a value-based approach to foreign policy. During his time in office, he cemented deepening transatlantic relations, sustained support for Ukraine, and the elevation of global partnerships as strategic pillars of Lithuania’s foreign policy.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.