Students’ Victory in Morocco: Vilnius University’s Kinetic Theatre Wins Best Performance Award at an International Festival

At the Tangier International University Theater Festival FITUT 2025, the Vilnius University (VU) Kinetic Theatre play “Replika” (directed by Andrius Pulkauninkas) won the award for Best Collective Performance. The festival, which took place from November 3 to 7, brought together 12 universities from 9 countries. The amateur theater troupe of Vilnius University (VU) students was recognised alongside many troupes from art academies – future acting professionals.

According to Kotryna Jančauskaitė, a member of the troupe and a VU alumna, participating in the international festival strengthened the troupe’s creative experience and confidence in their artistic direction: “On stage, we felt a common pulse with audiences from different countries. We are bringing back inspiration and confidence in what we are creating in Vilnius.”

“FITUT is more of a European event in Morocco than a local Moroccan one: this year, troupes from Italy, Portugal, Montenegro, Poland, France, Spain, and Lithuania participated, while Africa was represented by Egypt and two Moroccan troupes. We have worked long and hard with “Replika”, so we are delighted that these efforts have been recognised with an award. To be honest, we were hoping and expecting to win in one of the categories, as this is a serious competition. This recognition confirms the high standards and international visibility of our troupe, while also honourably representing Vilnius University and Lithuania, strengthening the image of a modern, technologically advanced country. This is particularly important in the current geopolitical situation,” says Andrius Pulkauninkas, director of the play and head of the Kinetic Theater at VU.

The play “Replica” explores the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence through movement, sound, and visual solutions. By creating copies, mutations, and hybrid bodies, it raises questions about identity, originality, and the influence of technology on life.

VU Kinetic Theater is an interdisciplinary student troupe that has been operating at the VU Cultural Center since 2015. The collective brings together students from various fields of study who share a common desire to create theater based on the synthesis of movement, sound, and image. The theater actively participates in international university theater festivals in Europe and beyond, representing not only VU but also the contemporary Lithuanian creative scene.

On December 12, the performance “Replika” will be part of the VU Cultural Center’s Christmas performance series. Tickets are here. A 20% discount applies to VU students and staff.