Plot
The Invisible Front was the code name used by the Soviet Interior Forces for the armed resistance in the occupied territories of the former Soviet Union. This resistance sprang to life without almost any outside support in 1940 and again in 1944, continuing in various forms, armed and unarmed, until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. This is the story of one of the twentieth centuries most significant anti-soviet resistance movements, told through the words and experiences of one of its leaders, Juozas Luksa and his fellow Forest Brothers. The documentary seeks to provide an understanding of the dynamics of the armed and unarmed underground resistance through interviews and first time access to never been seen before archival footage. Its a ground breaking film of a dying heritage. We have conducted over 50 on camera interviews, including dignitaries such President Adamkus of Lithuania and President Zatlers of Latvia, CIA operatives and US government officials, as well as the many specific individuals of Baltic Nations who fought not only against Stalin and his regime, but also those who fought for Moscow. The story seeks to understand both sides of this war, a war which ultimately contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, 50 years after its spark. It puts the question about the personal choice in times of hardship and repression. The dedicated team comprised Mark Ryan, Mark Johnston, Jonas Ohman, and Vincas Sruoginis have spent the past 4 years on production on location in New York, Washington DC, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania uncovering stories and facts that will provide for the first time an accurate account of this traumatic post-war struggle in Eastern Europe following World War II. Through reenactments, archival footage provided by LTV and the National Archives in Washington DC, interviews of the actual participants, first time access by the KGB museum to film the actual documents and photos of the era, and with the voice Jouzas Luksa narrated by Andrius Mamantovas we hope to convey the story of the Lithuanian underground armed resistance and its tragedy. Many people interviewed in this documentary had either a prominent front row seat in, or actually participated in, the underground resistance and are the few to have lived to see the fall of the Soviet Union. Their view-points have been constructed to portray a western understanding of this major historical event.
Written by
Mark Johnston, Jonas Ohman, Vincas Sruoginis
Directed by
Jonas Ohman, Vincas Sruoginis
Crew
Production Countries
Sweden, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, United States of America
Production Companies
Forest Brothers
Languages
English, Lietuviu
Awards
2 wins & 2 nominations