With a team of students from the KIMO National Film School we are working on a short feature film "You Heat My Blood", based on the novel "Ameninės rybys" by Lina Simutytė. We are currently looking for additional support to bring this work to life. Even a small donation would make a huge difference to us and contribute to the creation of a conversation that matters to society.

The film tells the coming-of-age story of two teenagers: Elena, a shy ninth-grader, unexpectedly meets Laura, a brave and experienced gymnast, who opens up to her the intriguing world of adults.

WHY IT MATTERS:

First of all, this film is about the sex culture we live in. It's about how sex is sold everywhere, not only online or at home, but also on the streets, in the form of advertisements, films, songs. Often at the expense of women and their bodies. With this film we want to explore how growing up in such an environment affects our perception of sexuality and self-esteem. Whether what we like, what we want to be, are really our desires or a role imposed by someone else, and what is the cost of this role.

In this film we also want to talk about sexuality in the context of our post-Soviet country, where often sex is still taboo, where we don't always have a safe space to explore and express our sexuality. Perhaps this is why similar destructive experiences are so often repeated among teenagers. Experiences that mark the path to maturity are often coloured by shame and pain. Often, because of an unsafe environment or a lack of education in society, first sexual experiences are painful - after all, it wasn't that long ago

it was not so long ago that we started talking about it,

what consent is and that it is necessary for intimate relationships. This film is also interested in the challenge of talking about erotic themes. Films and their images have long contributed (and continue to contribute) to the problem of harmful representations of the female body. From unrealistic standards and clichés to male gaze fantasies that are completely out of touch with reality.

Nevertheless, it is clear that sexuality is an intrinsic and healthy characteristic of both sexes and should not be censored. With this film, we aim to find a way to portray eroticism from a female perspective, addressing both the cultural context in which our perception of sexuality is shaped and the dangers that women often face in their sexual lives, whether by choice or not.