Overview

• 'Toxic,' directed by Saulė Bliuvaitė, won the 2024 Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival for its unflinching narrative and striking visuals.
• The film follows two 13-year-old girls, Kristina and Marija, navigating exploitation in a rural Lithuanian modeling agency as they seek escape from poverty.
• Graphically depicting self-harm, the film highlights extreme measures taken by the girls to conform to beauty standards, including ordering a parasite online.
• Set in Lithuania's post-industrial hinterland, the film juxtaposes bleak landscapes with moments of fragile beauty, captured in a stark 4:3 aspect ratio.
• Ahead of its German release on April 24, critics have praised 'Toxic' for its visceral storytelling and its commentary on systemic exploitation and rural decline.