The premiere of the documentary Archive Detective will take place on February 26 at the Skalvija Cinema Center. Directed by Mindaugas Meškauskas, the film recounts the intriguing story of a discovery in the archives of the National Museum of Lithuania—one that revealed not only lost images of wooden Kaunas but also introduced an until-then unknown photographer, Antanas Ingelevičius, and his unique body of work.

This is a story of a discovery that began a journey into the past. A box of 840 negatives lay untouched for over 70 years in the National Museum of Lithuania’s archive. For decades, no one had seriously examined them. The label “phot. Ingelevičius” and a few terse captions—such as “street in an unknown city,” “portrait of a man,” “market”—offered only vague hints without any context. That changed when museum curator Vitalija decided to sort through and digitize the long-forgotten negatives. This marked the beginning of an inspiring journey into the past and a series of unexpected revelations.

As the story unfolds, the investigation begins to resemble a real detective tale. The museum’s photographer, Algirdas, recognized the artistic value of the photographs and was captivated by the talent of this previously unknown author. Meanwhile, archaeologist Gytis was thrilled to identify in the images traces of the long-lost wooden Kaunas. The museum team embarked on a journey—through the labyrinths of archives, through historical documents, and along the streets of Kaunas Old Town. Their determination in answering the question “Who was Antanas Ingelevičius?” is relentless. And with each answer uncovered, more questions seem to emerge. “Antanas, who are you?” mutters archaeologist Gytis as he doggedly searches for traces of the photographer’s life.

As the investigation deepens, Vitalija concludes: “The negatives were placed—hidden!” But by whom, and why? What does Antanas Ingelevičius’ work reveal to us? Archive Detective invites viewers not only to follow the museum team’s investigation but also to become part of it. It is a journey back to a time when wooden houses still stood in Kaunas, and the slopes of Žaliakalnis resembled the shantytowns of favelas. Antanas Ingelevičius captured the city, its people and everyday life, the first performances of the Lithuanian National Theatre, and the fleeting moments of Kaunas’ bohemian scene. It is a story of curators’ perseverance and passion, which brought to light a long-lost and forgotten photographic legacy.

At the Vilnius Book Fair, the National Museum of Lithuania will also present the highly anticipated photo album Antanas Ingelevičius. The Photographer’s Archive, which has already garnered widespread public interest. The organizers are planning a national tour dedicated to Ingelevičius’ legacy, during which the photo album will be presented and the documentary Archive Detective will be screened.