June, the Beginning of Summer

Raimondas Vabalas (1937-2001) – Lithuanian director and screenwriter. Finished school in Panevėžys, in 1964 graduated from the Moscow Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). Since 1952, he worked as an actor and director’s assistant in Panevėžys Drama Theatre. His debut feature film was Cannonade (1961) (co-director Arūnas Žebriūnas). Vabalas worked at the Lithuanian Film Studios where he created all his films, including the award-winning Staircase to Heaven (1968), The Flight across the Atlantic Ocean (1983). In 1990 he released his last film The Autumn Comes through the Forests. His research into the history of Lithuanian partisans conducted in his last years, helped collect many valuable information about the Freedom Fighters.