Movies: Drowning Dry (2024) by Laurynas Bareiša: Fractured Reflections of Lake-Side Grief
- dailyentertainment95
- Sep 5
- 4 min read
A Vacation That Unravels in Echoes
The story centers on sisters Ernesta and Justė, who gather with their families at their childhood lakeside retreat. What begins as a seemingly idyllic weekend—celebrating Lukas’s martial arts win and enjoying summer leisure—quickly devolves into fractured recollection and trauma after Justė’s daughter nearly drowns. Through a series of haunting, out-of-sequence flashbacks, the film peels away the layers of grief, memory, and unresolved tension that haunt both families.
Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/drowning-dry (US), https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/drowning-dry (UK)
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29279885/
About movie: https://www.dekanalog.com/films/drowning-dry
Why to Recommend This Film: Subtle, Stylish, Unsettling
Why to watch this movie:
Emotional architecture of memory — The film scrupulously dismantles how trauma distorts memory, constructing narrative through perception rather than chronology.
Single-handed cinematic vision — Laurynas Bareiša not only wrote and directed the film but also served as its cinematographer—ensuring a unified, intimate aesthetic.
Festival-validated artistry — The film premiered at Locarno, winning Best Director for Bareiša and Best Performance for its ensemble. It was also selected as Lithuania’s entry for the Best International Feature at the Oscars.
Cinematically rigorous yet emotionally resonant — Critics highlight the film's patience, precise framing, and ability to unsettle while refusing to telegraph its intentions.
What is the Trend Followed: Trauma in Fragments
Nonlinear, memory-based structure — A growing trend in arthouse cinema that mirrors how trauma is mentally experienced, not chronologically represented.
Domestic tragedy reframed — Focus shifts from the event itself to the emotional ripples that follow—a subtler and increasingly favored approach to drama.
Stylized realism — Formal restraint (minimal camera movement, long medium shots) becomes a tool for reflecting inner dislocation rather than realism for its own sake.
Director’s Vision: Intuition Behind the Lens
Memory visualized — Bareiša positions the camera not as an eyewitness but as a distant, reflective bystander—lending every shot a dreamlike, uncanny quality.
Fluid structure — The narrative began as a linear account but evolved into a fragmented mosaic as Bareiša explored how memory splinters during trauma.
Collaborative interiority — Actors’ backstories were crafted and improvised to build authenticity in relationships, even if unseen—enhancing subtle emotional truth.
Instinct over formula — Bareiša often used intuition for shot length and rhythm, balancing it carefully with structure to maintain narrative cohesion.
Themes: Loss, Memory, Masculinity, and Family Bonds
Trauma as ripple — The incident at the lake becomes a fracturing point, with grief reverberating through memory and family dynamics.
Unspoken competition — The husbands embody contrasting masculinities—one physical and reckless, the other emotionally unstable—highlighting tension underlying familial roles.
Fluid timelines, fractured truth — The film itself becomes a metaphor for how reality unravels in the wake of trauma.
Sisterhood as anchor — The emotional core remains the bond between Ernesta and Justė—their connection is what persists and contains the unraveling.
Key Success Factors: Precision, Poise, Performance
Direction and visuals united — Bareiša’s triple role as writer, director, and cinematographer ensures total coherence in tone and style.
Award-winning ensemble — The cast won Best Performance together, validating their collective emotional subtlety.
Formal daring — Critics applaud the film’s restraint, single takes, and composition as riveting rather than static.
Critical acclaim — Reviewers celebrate the film’s lingering emotional impact and how it disorients and stays with you long after.
Awards & Nominations: Distinguished by Craft
Pecked with notable recognition, the film garnered the Best Direction Award for Bareiša and a Best Performance Award for the ensemble at Locarno. Though selected as Lithuania’s Oscar entry, it ultimately didn’t make the nomination cut—but that selection itself speaks to its artistic gravitas.
Critics Reception: Elicits Emotion Through Distance
RogerEbert.com (Sheila O’Malley): Praised its compositional mastery, noting that holding emotional distance makes the film more moving and unsettling.
BFI: Described how grief spreads like confusion, with memory collapsing into disorientation—a departure from traditional thriller conventions.
Films like MUBI & SIFF: Commended its choreographed grief and the way time—and memory—distorts in subjective perception.
Overall Summary: The film’s restraint and formal discipline distinguish it—but its conceptual subtlety may challenge viewers seeking a more narrative-driven experience.
Reviews: Subtle, Deep, Fragmented
Strengths: Evocative visual language, lingering emotional resonance, and a hypnotic narrative structure that mirrors trauma.
Weaknesses: Nonlinear storytelling and subdued drama may feel opaque to some.
Consensus: A demanding, deeply felt depiction of family trauma and memory—not for mainstream audiences but profoundly rewarding for reflective viewing.
Release Date on Streaming: Slowly Reaching Homes
Initially premiering in August 2024 at Locarno, the film saw limited theatrical release through 2024–2025 across Europe and the U.S. A digital release began in the U.S. around early September 2025, gradually extending its reach via independent and festival networks.
Theatrical Release: Festival Circuit to Cinematheques
Drowning Dry debuted at major festivals including Locarno, Palm Springs, Busan, and Tallinn. U.S. theatrical screenings began in mid-2025, targeting indie cinemas and cultural venues rather than mainstream distribution.
Movie Trend: Introspective Trauma Drama
Trend: Memory as NarrativeThis film is part of a growing wave of arthouse dramas that treat memory, perception, and trauma as story structure—using fragmentation and emotional dissonance as storytelling devices rather than linear clarity.
Social Trend: Rethinking Masculinity and Memory
Trend: Vulnerability Under PressureThe film subtly interrogates masculine identity—risk-taking, emotional stiffness, and competition—via a trauma context. It also reflects a broader cultural interest in how personal memory shapes emotional reality and identity.
Final Verdict: Still Waters That Never Stop Echoing
Drowning Dry is a formally assured, emotionally resonant exploration of how trauma distorts memory and family bonds. Laurynas Bareiša’s direction, married to his cinematography, yields a haunting, patient film that refrains from easy catharsis. Its fractured structure and emotional reserve might feel distant—but it remains a powerful meditation on grief, memory, and the fragile ties that bind.
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