Panevėžys chronicler, film director and cameraman Jonas Čergelis died Culture

It is no accident that J. Čergelis was called “the white chronicler, reflecting the most important events of the city and the country in his films” in the cultural community of Panevėžys.

J. Čergelis started his creative career while still studying at school, and his first works were humorous films. He created his first amateur work in the 1970s.

Later, he took up experimental and documentary cinema – 1974-1981. created together with the director of experimental cinema, a bright personality of alternative culture Artūrs Barys-Barus.

J. Čergelis has spoken about that time and his creative friendship with A. Barys: “Although I lived in Panevėžys at that time, I started visiting Arthur regularly and soon Vilnius became my second home. Bar and I used to spend whole days together, traveling around Lithuania and constantly filming something – we always had some kind of official camera, which we easily got from various amateur studios”.

J. Čergelis filmed A. Barys-Bar’s films such as “I vote for love”, “Snow”, “Her love”, “Green field”, “Looking for him”, “Better than heaven, worse than hell”, “Prasmė” etc.

in 1978 in the created film “B and Č”, J. Čergel together with A. Barys played the main role.

J. Čergelis also collaborated with directors Raimundas Banionis, Rimantas Teres, Albinus Kēleris, Valerys Jevsejevs.

In 1978-1991, J. Čergelis was the manager-director of “Ekrano” amateur film studio.

in 1986 The short film “Audra” created by J. Čergelis was awarded by the Lithuanian Cinematographers’ Union and won the 2nd place at the “One Minute Festival” held in Czechoslovakia.

An important place in his creative biography is occupied by films about actor Donatas Banionis (together with director R. Teres), director Juoz Miltini – the film “Bonjour, Monsieur”.

J. Čergelis also created a dozen film portraits of famous Panevėžys residents, a 20-episode documentary film about Panevėžys.

During the revival period, J. Čergelis filmed the Baltic Way, Sąjūdis events, rallies, and the events of January 13 – since then, he has accumulated a huge documentary archive. Also collected rare works of cinema lovers.

Later, he consistently filmed the drama theater of Juozas Miltinis, its actors and performances. Since 2006 worked as a theater video operator.