Holy Destructors
A daring display of fungi, coffins, and crypts reveals the remarkable work of bioarchaeologists and restorers.
Fresh from its IDFA premiere, this ambitious, multilayered film is sure to inspire awe and provoke debate. It observes an astonishing cosmos of blooming microorganisms, such as fungi and mould, which have been documented with patience and precision. These images are connected to museum paintings depicting historical and modern Easter processions, while the restoration of frescoes and priests' relics raises questions about decay, fragility, and gratitude.
After “Animus Animalis” in 2018, Aistė Žegulytė and Vytautas Katkus embarked on this new exploration. This is one of their most insightful works, demanding full attention and curiosity. The soundtrack, composed by Gediminas Jakubka, adds an immersive layer to the film that connects Kėdainiai, Valladolid and Scotland. This is a film that is meant to be rewatched, with each viewing revealing new clues and connections.
Vytautas Katkus experiments with microscopes, 16 mm reels, mouldy film strips and silent archives from an 8 mm camera. Using these devices, he reimagines the camera as both a kaleidoscope and a telescope.
Edvinas Pukšta
Aistė Žegulytė (1986) is a Lithuanian filmmaker. She studied photographic technology at Vilnius University of Applied Engineering Sciences (2006-2009). In 2013 she graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre with a degree in Television and Cinema Directing.. Her graduation film was documentary “Tapatumai” (“Identities”, 2013), which was screened internationally, including at the Leeds International Film Festival. Her most notable work is the feature-length documentary “Animus Animalis (A Story About People, Animals and Things)” (2018) which premiered at DOK Leipzig and was later shown at major festivals. It won several awards, such as the Grand Jury Prize at Festival Premiers Plans d’Angers and Lithuania’s Silver Crane Award for Best Documentary, Best Editing and Best Sound.
Filmography:
Animus Animalis (a story about People, Animals and Things) (Animus Animalis ehk lugu inimestest, loomadest, asjadest, 2018, PÖFF 2019, doc), Holy Destructors (2025, doc)