BDAR

  • Klaipeda University
  • 11 July 2025

The Man Who Made the Baltic Sea Speak: A Documentary about Prof. Vladas Žulkus

Research conducted by Klaipeda University (KU) scientists has inspired the documentary film "The Sunken Land" (lith. Nuskendusi žemė) – the first film in Lithuanian cinema history to reveal what lies beneath the surface of the Baltic Sea. The main protagonist of the film is academician, professor Vladas Žulkus, the pioneer of underwater archaeology in Lithuania and former rector of KU.

This film is a journey into a world that no longer exists but still lingers in the dark depths of the Baltic. At depths of 25–32 meters, remnants of ancient forests – pines and oaks – have been discovered, complete with roots and branches. These findings allow researchers to reconstruct the prehistoric landscape and evidence of human presence in the coastal zone from 10,000 to 12,000 years ago.

"I thought the film would focus on trees, branches, and roots – not on Žulkus walking around the university at sunset," Prof. habil. Dr. Vladas Žulkus says with a smile. Yet it is precisely his decades of research, expeditions with KU scientific teams, and enduring passion for the sea that form the heart of the film. 

 

"We made astonishing and previously unheard-of discoveries. For instance, DNA analysis showed that the pines which arrived in our region after the Ice Age originated from the area between the Black and Mediterranean Seas. This type of complex research is unique not only in Lithuania but throughout the entire Baltic region," reveals Prof. habil. Dr. Vladas Žulkus.

 

The film's creator is director and underwater cinematographer Veronika Tamulionytė. After a year of study and filming expeditions in the Pacific Ocean, she returned to Lithuania to undertake her new mission in the Baltic Sea.

"I met Professor Vladas Žulkus shortly after returning from Indonesia. He became not only the film’s main character but also a personal role model for me. He is passionate about his work and speaks about the sea with such love that it's impossible to remain indifferent. It’s the first time in my creative journey that I feel everyone involved believes in this film equally strongly," the director shares.

 

The film merges science and art – it is a scientific documentary enriched with poetic visual storytelling. Underwater footage captured in the Baltic tells not only of tree remnants but also of possible traces of ancient civilizations, ritual stones, and signs of Mesolithic human activity. These are complemented by a unique soundtrack inspired by prehistoric sounds – cries, the clinking of stones, rhythmic beats, and echoes of horns.

“There’s a saying – if you want people to understand science, show it as art. Our goal is for the audience not only to learn but also to feel. To recognize that this sea hides not only nature but also our own memory,” says V. Tamulionytė.

"The Sunken Land" is currently being filmed during Klaipėda University expeditions, at research stations, and in laboratories. Both short and feature-length versions are planned – the creators aim to secure funding from the Lithuanian Film Centre.

“The greatest museum in the world is the seas and oceans,” says Prof. habil. Dr. Vladas Žulkus. This film invites viewers to enter that museum.

You can learn more about the film and its behind-the-scenes process on the Instagram profile: filmas.nuskendusizeme.

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