DOCUMENTARY SERIES
CHARACTER-DRIVEN STORIES AND ESSAY FILMS
PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES
Filmed across five continents, this five-part documentary immerses viewers in a journey through time, exploring identity, resilience, creativity, and how our origins shape us today.
Complementing the documentary series, 100 short films offer a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the lives of notable Litvaks, sharing their journeys, challenges, and the wisdom they carry.
Capturing candid moments, photo essays, and large-format portraits, this series presents a unique visual perspective, preserving narratives that video alone cannot.
Documenta
ry
series
ORIGINS: a five-part documentary series that tells the powerful story of the Litvaks—a Jewish community nearly erased during the Holocaust, yet whose cultural, intellectual, and personal legacy continues to resonate across generations. Filmed over three years and across five continents, the series draws from encounters with 100 remarkable individuals—artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, historians, activists, writers, and everyday people—whose stories reflect a shared inheritance of resilience, creativity, and continuity. Through a thoughtful and observant lens, ORIGINS becomes a journey into identity, memory, and belonging—exploring fortitude and the enduring impact of history, and revealing how even the most fractured pasts can leave a lasting imprint.
ORIGINS:
A feature film showcases the journeys taken, the people met, the stories heard, and the discoveries made.
IDENTITY
Explores how heritage shapes our identity and defines who we are today.
RESILIENCE
Highlights the community's strength in overcoming adversity and surviving dark chapters in history.
CREATIVITY
Focuses on success, innovation, and adaptability, highlighting how Litvaks thrived in new lands and left a lasting impact.
CONNECTION
A journey back to the old country, reconnecting with a land that is both deeply personal and historically distant.
Short
Films
Each of the 100 films expands on the series with a distinct voice—reflecting on who we are, where we come from, what we carry forward, and how we evolve. Told through forms ranging from intimate essays to experimental storytelling, the films explore themes of home and belonging, migration, family, lessons learned, and the wisdom that guides us forward. Together, they form a living archive and a cross-generational dialogue.
Photo
graphy
The work uses natural settings, traditional development techniques, and a conceptual approach to encourage viewers to slow down, look closely, and connect with the stories behind each image.
Portrait development process. Vilnius, Lithuania, 2025
Personal stories told through slow, thoughtful photography, offer a glimpse into people’s inner lives, personal experiences, and emotions.
Haifa, Israel © Tadas Kazakevičius, 2023
A candid and authentic style captures unposed images that reflect daily lives, emotions, and environments, providing real, spontaneous moments as they unfold.
Philadelphia, USA © Tadas Kazakevičius, 2024
Timeline
Short films:
100 character-driven stories and essay films
Documentary series:
5 episodes
Photography:
Exhibition
Synopsis
ORIGINS: a five-part documentary series traces the remarkable journey of the Litvak diaspora. From the depths of the Holocaust to their resurgence in fields such as science, culture, politics, business, and the arts, the Litvak story is one of extraordinary survival and reinvention, leaving an indelible mark on the world.
Focusing on those born between 1928 and 1945—descendants of families torn apart by war and persecution—the series uncovers how these individuals have carried the torch of identity, resilience, and creativity through generations. Their personal stories bridge the past and present, revealing a legacy that resonates today.
Brought to life by a talented team of filmmakers, photographers, and composers, these narratives create an authentic and vivid portrayal of the Litvak community and its cultural legacy. Interweaving shared human connections, the documentary provides a poignant exploration of how origins shape our identities today.
TRACING THE LITVAK DIASPORA
Today’s Litvaks are descendants of Jews who emigrated from Lithuania and nearby regions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though some still remain there today. ORIGINS: focuses mainly on those who left and their descendants, exploring how their cultural identity and heritage have endured across continents and generations.
Filming began in 2023 in Israel and England, expanding in 2024 to the United States, France, Denmark, Italy, Lithuania, Argentina, and Brazil. In the coming months, we will continue across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and South Africa—where 90% of the Jewish population identifies as Litvaks. Our goal is to complete all on-location work by the end of 2025.
“Nationalism is always complicated. It’s based on an inwardness and exclusivity that can become very, very dangerous. But there is also nationalism that takes pride in the diversity of thoughts, of its people. This second type of nationalism can become very powerful and strong. That’s why I’m attracted to the work that you are doing.”
— ALBIE SACHS, South African judge and human rights activist
MEET THE TEAM
Contact
us
If you’d like to learn more about the making of the documentary, support the project, or explore partnership opportunities, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
DONATE TO THE MAKING OF ORIGINS:
Bank Name:
AB SEB Bank
Bank Address:
Konstitucijos pr. 24, LT-08105 Vilnius, Lithuania
Bank Code:
70440
SWIFT/BIC:
CBVILT2X
Account Name:
PASSPORT. DIASPORA FOUNDATION PARAMOS FONDAS
Account Address:
Konstitucijos pr. 21A, LT-08105 Vilnius, Lithuania
Registration No:
306295674
IBAN:
LT877044090105914043
SPONSORS
Friends
