Festivals: Hunger Strike Breakfast (2025) by Karolis Kaupinis: The Fight for Freedom on Camera

A Political Drama of Resistance Hunger Strike Breakfast is a Lithuanian drama film, set in the early 1990s, directed and written by Karolis Kaupinis (known for Nova Lituania). The film centers on Daiva (Ineta Stasiulyte), a popular Lithuanian television star whose life is turned upside down when Russian soldiers seize control of the TV studios. In an act of bold, non-violent resistance, Daiva and a group of her colleagues announce a hunger strike to reclaim the vital television station, turning their personal defiance into a public, political act. The film stars Ineta Stasiulyte, Egle Mikulionyte, and Albinas Keleris.

Why to watch this movie: A Deep Dive into a Defining Historical Moment

• A Gripping Historical Story: The film focuses on a little-known but crucial moment of resistance in the early 1990s, offering a human-scale perspective on Lithuania's struggle for independence and media freedom from Soviet control.

• Themes of Non-Violent Resistance: The narrative explores the power and complexity of non-violent protest through the hunger strike. It examines the personal sacrifices, political stakes, and moral ambiguities of using one's own body as a tool for political change.

• A Promising Director: Director Karolis Kaupinis is an emerging voice in Lithuanian cinema, whose previous work, Nova Lituania, was highly praised for its distinctive visual style and sharp, sometimes ironic, political commentary.

• The Power of the Media: The film is set within the TV station studios, using this backdrop to explore the vital role of media, propaganda, and public figures in shaping national identity and resistance during a military occupation.

Where to watch (industry professionals): https://pro.festivalscope.com/film/hunger-strike-breakfast

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15289514/

Link Review: https://variety.com/2025/film/global/lithuania-m-films-hunger-strike-breakfast-karolis-kaupinis-1236546371/

About movie: https://m-films.lt/filmai/hunger-strike-breakfast/

Title: Hunger Strike Breakfast (2025) by Karolis Kaupinis: The Fight for Freedom on Camera

General description: A Political Drama of Resistance Hunger Strike Breakfast is a Lithuanian drama film, set in the early 1990s, directed and written by Karolis Kaupinis (known for Nova Lituania). The film centers on Daiva (Ineta Stasiulyte), a popular Lithuanian television star whose life is turned upside down when Russian soldiers seize control of the TV studios. In an act of bold, non-violent resistance, Daiva and a group of her colleagues announce a hunger strike to reclaim the vital television station, turning their personal defiance into a public, political act. The film stars Ineta Stasiulyte, Egle Mikulionyte, and Albinas Keleris.

Why to watch this movie: A Deep Dive into a Defining Historical Moment

• A Gripping Historical Story: The film focuses on a little-known but crucial moment of resistance in the early 1990s, offering a human-scale perspective on Lithuania's struggle for independence and media freedom from Soviet control.

• Themes of Non-Violent Resistance: The narrative explores the power and complexity of non-violent protest through the hunger strike. It examines the personal sacrifices, political stakes, and moral ambiguities of using one's own body as a tool for political change.

• A Promising Director: Director Karolis Kaupinis is an emerging voice in Lithuanian cinema, whose previous work, Nova Lituania, was highly praised for its distinctive visual style and sharp, sometimes ironic, political commentary.

• The Power of the Media: The film is set within the TV station studios, using this backdrop to explore the vital role of media, propaganda, and public figures in shaping national identity and resistance during a military occupation.

What Trend is followed?: The Post-Soviet Historical Drama Hunger Strike Breakfast follows the trend of the "Post-Soviet Historical Drama," which sees filmmakers from former Soviet bloc nations revisiting and re-examining the critical and often tumultuous period of the late Soviet collapse and the subsequent struggle for true independence.

• Focus on National Identity: These films often prioritize the theme of constructing a new national identity and culture in the wake of Soviet suppression, using specific historical events as a microcosm for the larger struggle.

• Media and Propaganda: The setting in a TV station highlights a key trend in this genre: exploring how media was weaponized during the transition period and the fight for control over the public narrative.

• Everyday Heroes: The film focuses on seemingly ordinary people—a TV star and her peers—who become accidental heroes, aligning with a cinematic trend that finds heroism not in grand military acts but in acts of personal, moral courage.

Director's Vision: Sharp Political Commentary and Human Drama

• Ironic and Stylized Approach: Director Karolis Kaupinis is known for a distinctive vision that often blends stylized visuals with sharp, sometimes ironic, political commentary. He is likely to treat this intense political confrontation with a dry wit and an observational eye.

• Focus on Personal Stakes: His vision centers the human drama within the political conflict. The story of the TV star losing her job and deciding to strike makes the abstract political struggle concrete, focusing on the individual’s moral choice under pressure.

• Authentic Period Setting: The director is dedicated to authentically recreating the early '90s period in Lithuania, using the setting to enhance the sense of historical realism and the high stakes of the situation.

Themes: Freedom, Sacrifice, and Media Control

• Freedom of the Media: The core theme is the fight for freedom of the press and the control of information. The TV station is a symbolic battleground for intellectual and political independence.

• Personal Sacrifice for a Political Cause: The hunger strike itself explores the theme of radical non-violent protest and the personal sacrifice required. It questions the effectiveness and the psychological toll of such extreme defiance.

• The Role of the Public Figure: The main character, Daiva, is a popular TV star. The film examines the moral responsibility and political power of a public figure when a nation is in crisis.

Key success factors: Topical Relevance and Director's Track Record

• Director's Critical Acclaim: Karolis Kaupinis's reputation, built on the success of Nova Lituania, provides the film with immediate critical credibility and international festival appeal.

• Topical and Timely Subject Matter: The film's themes of Russian military occupation and a nation's fight for sovereignty are acutely relevant in the current geopolitical climate, which will drive significant interest from international audiences.

• Intense Dramatic Premise: The high-stakes premise of a TV star risking her life in a hunger strike is an inherently dramatic hook that provides a compelling emotional core for the narrative.

Awards and Nominations: Early Recognition The film has received 1 nomination total, suggesting early recognition on the festival circuit.

Critics reception: No Published Reviews Available Yet The film is an upcoming release, and there is no critic consensus available at this time.

Reviews: No Published Reviews Available Yet There are no reviews available for this film at this time, as it has not yet been released to the public.

Release dates: Theatrical and Streaming

• Release date on streaming: Information on a streaming release is not available.

• Theatrical Release: The film is scheduled to be released in Poland on October 11, 2025.

What Movie Trend film is following: The Political Drama of Micro-Resistance The film follows the trend of the "political drama of micro-resistance," a subgenre that moves away from large-scale battlefield narratives to focus on small, intensely focused acts of civil defiance. The hunger strike is a singular, sustained act of resistance that serves as a powerful, symbolic core for the entire political struggle.

What Big Social Trend is following: The Right to Self-Determination The film taps into the major global social trend of the right to self-determination and the power of civic resistance against foreign intervention. Set against a backdrop of Soviet dissolution, the film is a cinematic statement on a nation's will to be free, reflecting ongoing worldwide struggles for sovereignty and democracy.

Final Verdict: A Timely and Compelling Historical Drama Hunger Strike Breakfast is a highly anticipated and timely political drama that promises to be a compelling look at a pivotal moment in Lithuanian history. Director Karolis Kaupinis’s unique vision, coupled with the intense dramatic stakes of the hunger strike, suggests a film that will be both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. For those interested in stories of human resilience, media freedom, and the personal cost of political change, this film is a must-watch.