The powerfully subtle 'Drowning Dry' (or 'Seses') from Lithuanian director Laurynas Bareisa keeps the viewer on edge, always guessing whether the events on screen are unfolding in the past, present, or future. The narrative flow of the tale continuously challenges the viewer's comfort zone, without detracting from the storyline. The elements of suspense and disorientation add to the looming sense of tragedy that pervades this sobering narrative of two families whose summer vacation takes a disastrous turn.
As the story begins, the audience meets Ernesta (played by Gelmine Glemzaite), who travels to a lakeside country home with her husband, Lukas (played by Paulius Markevicius) and their young son. Ernesta's sister Juste (Agne Kaktaite), her husband Tomas (Giedrius Kiela), and their daughter join them. Although the start of their vacation seems idyllic, an underlying tension starts to bubble to the surface.
As the narrative progresses, the audiences learns of Lukas' victory in an MMA match, that leaves him severely beaten, causing Ernesta to maintain a distance from him. Meanwhile, Juste and Tomas’ marriage is strained. But the main drama unfolds when Juste’s daughter falls into the lake, suddenly transforming the film's tone from a casual family drama to a dreadful tragedy.
As the film unwinds, it takes unexpected turns, jumping across time and location and heightening the suspense over the fate of Juste's daughter and the mysteriously absent Lukas. The director brilliantly stitches together fragments of time and events, ultimately creating an entrancing tale of overcoming trauma.
The English title 'Drowning Dry' refers to a psychological condition experienced by individuals who have survived or witnessed a drowning, mirroring the distressing echoes of a tragic incident reverberating through several characters’ lives over extended periods.
Far from being entirely bleak, 'Drowning Dry' also subtly reveals the resilience of survivors. Despite their profound sense of loss, they also carry within them the potential to start afresh, over and over again.
