A global journey to trace the Litvak story

What connects a former judge in Johannesburg; a business leader in Latin America; and an artist in Israel, all in their 80s? According to Lithuanian filmmaker Kęstas Pikūnas, the answer lies in a shared heritage shaped by learning, resilience, and a distinct way of seeing the world. 

His upcoming documentary series, Origins, sets out to trace that heritage through the lives of 100 Litvaks living across the globe. 

Pikūnas has spent nearly a decade immersed in the history of Lithuanian Jewry. About five or six years ago, he published a book on the Litvaks, which was previously covered by the SA Jewish Report. “After the book was printed and published, I decided that it covered only a small percentage of what I wanted to talk about,” he said. The documentary grew out of that realisation. 

Filming for Origins has taken place over almost three years and entirely outside Lithuania. Pikūnas and his non-Jewish production team have met 92 people so far, and expect to complete filming with 100 participants by the end of their South African leg. The subjects live across five continents, including Latin America, the United States, much of Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, and South Africa. 

South Africa occupies a distinctive place in the project. Pikūnas said that wherever the team filmed, they encountered Jews with South African roots. “South Africa will be quite an important part of this story,” he said, pointing out that the country became one of the final filming destinations after earlier plans were delayed. He described the local community as exceptional, and said the team was happy that South Africa formed the closing chapter of production. 

Rather than focusing on institutions or historical chronology, Origins centres on people. The documentary brings together Litvaks from fields including business, science, culture, the arts, and education. A central aim is to record the voices of the so-called “silent generation”. These are men and women now in their 80s and 90s whose stories are at risk of being lost. While the average age of participants is about 70, many are significantly older. 

The project will eventually take several forms. The core is a five-episode documentary series, supported by 100 short films dedicated to each individual participant. Photography also plays a major role. A documentary photographer has travelled with the team from the outset, producing digital and film photo essays as well as large format portraits of every subject. By the end of filming, the team will have accumulated close to 500 hours of footage. 

Selecting participants was an intensive process. Pikūnas described it as like assembling a puzzle. In the early stages, there was scepticism that such an ambitious project could even begin, let alone be completed. Over time, research, personal outreach, and recommendations helped shape the final group. In South Africa, community member Howard Sackstein played a key role in making introductions. Once the team had interviewed 20 or 30 people, word of mouth became the primary source of new participants. 

Pikūnas emphasised that the project was entirely independent. “This documentary and all of our work is independent. It’s not commissioned by a government or any institution. This is solely driven by ourselves as a team,” he said. What began as a passion project has remained so throughout its development, something he regards as essential to its integrity. 

Through years of conversations, patterns began to emerge. Pikūnas said one of the most striking aspects was identifying what connects Litvaks across geography and profession. He spoke about shared values and what some describe as a Litvak way of life. Themes that recur throughout the series include identity, resilience, and creativity. 

While Lithuania is central to the story, Origins doesn’t confine itself to modern borders. Pikūnas said the documentary focuses on the broader Pale of Settlement, the area where Lithuanian Jews lived historically. Many participants trace their ancestry to regions now part of Latvia, Poland, or Belarus, yet share a common cultural heritage. 

However, the process was not without challenges. Pikūnas acknowledged that some people were initially wary of a non-Jewish team documenting Jewish lives, occasionally questioning whether the project was commissioned by a government or external body. More practically, arranging in-depth interviews proved demanding. The team’s approach avoids formal question-and-answer formats, instead prioritising extended conversations that can last more than three hours. 

“We prefer to spend time with the person. We just have a conversation,” Pikūnas said. He said that few people feel immediately comfortable when a group arrives with cameras and equipment, and building trust was essential. The logistical demands were also considerable, with four people travelling continuously, managing costs, equipment, accommodation, and tight schedules. 

Beyond logistics, the emotional weight of the stories required care. The documentary deals with deeply personal and often sensitive experiences, making continuity and cohesion within the team vital. Pikūnas described the challenge of keeping the process moving as the most difficult aspect, but also the most rewarding. Working together from day one created a shared understanding of purpose. 

As Origins enters post production, Pikūnas said the editing phase was the most complex stage of all. The task now is to shape hundreds of hours of material into a coherent narrative that honours each individual story while revealing the larger patterns that connect them. 

For South African audiences, the documentary offers recognition and reflection. It situates local Litvak stories within a global context, showing how a shared heritage has taken root in diverse environments while retaining a distinctive character. Through 100 lives, Origins seeks to preserve a collective memory before it fades, capturing voices that still have much to teach.