The Excursionist

THE EXCURSIONIST is an inspiring true story taken from a dark period in the nation's history. In the 1950s, under the yoke of Stalinism, hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians were deported to gulags in the Soviet Union. Marija, an orphaned eleven-year-old girl, escapes from a transport train and sets out on a 6,000-mile trek back home, posing as a Russian and keeping her true identity secret in the face of suspicion and cruelty. Anastasija Marcenkaite delivers a remarkable performance in the demanding role of Marija.