Author of Pietinia kronikas R. Kmita and film star Dž. Grinys went head-to-head in the Gubernija challenge to see who knows Šiauliai better
Who can claim to know Šiauliai better – writer Rimantas Kmita, who authored the novel Pietinia kronikas about the city, or actor Džiugas Grinys, who played the main character in its film adaptation? The answer was revealed when the two artists took part in the Gubernija challenge. This unexpected experiment not only determined who knows the City of the Sun better, but also showed that the two have much more in common than they initially thought.
This year, Lithuania’s oldest brewery, Gubernija, celebrates its 360th anniversary in a special way – through the campaign We have a lot in common, which brings together people from different fields and reveals their similarities through various unexpected tasks. This historic brewery based in Šiauliai reminds us through the project that differences can become bridges rather than barriers.
Who knows Šiauliai better?
This time, the Gubernija challenge was taken on by writer R. Kmita, who grew up in Šiauliai, and actor Dž. Grinys, who is originally from Molėtai but got to know the city well during the filming of Pietinia kronikas.
Their first task was to look at 10 photos and determine whether they depicted Šiauliai. R. Kmita performed well here, making only one mistake. He also did better in a particularly humorous task where they had to identify whether phrases like “what are you looking at, crawl out of your cage,” “why are you sulking,” or “they stole the cart, but it was already busted” could be heard in Šiauliai or elsewhere.
More in common than it seems at first glance
But the true heart of the experiment was revealed when Rimantas and Džiugas answered a series of short questions. For example, hoodie with or without a hood? “Only with a hood. Without a hood it’s not even a piece of clothing,” Rimantas declared firmly. “I choose with a hood too. Since I’m a star now, I need to hide my eyes – or my shame,” Džiugas agreed with a straight face.
Šiauliai rugby or football players? Without hesitation, both chose rugby. “For our safety,” joked the actor. Market or shopping mall? Unanimous choice – market. Radler or kvass? Kvass, of course. House or apartment? Definitely apartment – when living in a block, friends are nearby and there’s a basketball court in the yard. Šiauliai 20 years ago or now? Nostalgia won – both chose the old city.
Differences emerged in just a few areas. For example, Dž. Grinys preferred Citroën, reasoning that a French car suits an artist better, while R. Kmita leaned toward Opel. “In Šiauliai, you have to keep it simple,” the writer joked.
In the end, both artists concluded they had a lot in common: they agree on sports, and they enjoy being around people – whether at a market or in a courtyard of an apartment block.
Kmita and Dž. Grinys joined the ranks of other Gubernija challenge participants, including basketball player Tauras Jogėla and footballer Martynas Dapkus, who represent Šiauliai sports teams. Viewers of the experiment can also expect meetings between different generations, rock and pop musicians, and beer and wine sommeliers.
