WHERE IT RAINS

In contemporary Lithuania, Nuruzzaman, a Bangladeshi filmmaker, seeks solace from past traumas. Grappling with cultural dislocation and loss, he writes letters to his son Balys, weaving together memory and migration. The film explores a society caught between its Soviet past and modern aspirations, questioning whether a nation ranked among the happiest for youth can also grapple with one of Europe’s highest suicide rates. Through interconnected lives, it captures silent tensions and quiet hopes.

Type of work: Documentary
Stage: Development
Looking for: Co-production, editing, sales agents, distributors
Contacts: akvilezilionyte@gmail.com

Representatives

NURUZZAMAN KHAN

Director

Nuruzzaman Khan, a filmmaker born in Dhaka, Bangladesh and now based in Vilnius, Lithuania, explores migration, identity, and human experiences in his work. His short documentary Men With No Name premiered at Hot Docs in 2018 and received recognition at several international festivals. In 2022, his documentary Before Pandemic and Love, There Were Bed Bugs and Love! screened at over 30 festivals worldwide, winning seven awards. Nuruzzaman is currently completing a PhD in documentary filmmaking on migration at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts. In addition, he works as a lecturer.

AKVILĖ ŽILIONYTĖ

Producer

Akvilė Žilionytė is a Lithuanian film producer with a background in literature and film directing. She is an alumna of EURODOC (2015) and ESODOC (2020), specializing in creative documentaries and socially engaged storytelling. She has produced over ten short films, screened at festivals including Jihlava IDFF, Drama Short IFF, Hamburg Short IFF, Vilnius FF, and others, and is currently releasing her first feature-length documentary. Her work often explores themes of identity, marginalization, and social transformation.