In the summer of 2021, dozens, and later hundreds, of people started illegally crossing the Lithuanian border from Belarus every day. As a result, Lithuania reinforced its border protection, building a metal fence and a barbed-wire barrier and assigning troops to help the border guards. 

Lithuania and the European Union say that this is a “hybrid attack” orchestrated by the Minsk regime, which has taken advantage of the desire of thousands of people to reach Western Europe and have a safer and better life there.

This is the story of two people – one guarding the border, the other crossing it illegally – and the circumstances that have led to the intersection of their lives.

I Remember His Look: The Story of a Soldier and a Migrant was presented at IFC Audiodocs 2022

Produced by Sigita Vegytė.

Editors Vaida Pilibaitytė and Adomas Zubė.

English translation by Ieva Žvinakytė

Sigita Vegytė is a Lithuanian radio journalist and documentary producer. She has worked as a news reporter and produced and presented programmes on foreign affairs and science for the Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT. In 2019 she joined an award-winning team producing radio documentaries for LRT RADIJAS.

To hear more work (with subtitles) from LRT visit their website here.