Indulge in the dreamy world of a chocolate factory in the Lithuanian woodlands

Shot in grainy black-and-white, Sense of Place is a new campaign film for Naive, a luxury chocolatier based in the Lithuanian woodlands. It’s unusual for a chocolate ad. There are no chefs in top hats, no close-ups of molten chocolate, no sultry voiceovers or lips brushing against a powdery truffle. Instead, Sense of Place unfolds like a memory, a dream sequence shaped by the sounds of the factory’s surrounding woodlands and the family who devote their lives to the craft.

The idea developed organically. On Some Films’ director Mija Kembre’s first visit to the factory, its owner Domantas turned to her and asked: “Can we capture a sense of place?” This pulled her into a memory from the film Spirited Away – a world that feels “both tangible and fleeting,” Mija describes. “That feeling resonated deeply with what I wanted to convey. I knew I didn’t want to impose a rigid narrative or create defined characters to lead a storyline. Sense of Place is embedded in its very name – it must be felt.”

This feeling is achieved through a series of cut-up scenes. Whirring machines and tumbling cocoa beans make up only a fraction of the shots. We see the family relaxing on the lawn, wildlife rushing through nearby forests, the snap of a bar of chocolate shared communally. “I wanted it to be a journey of tension and release, some sort of a chocolate temptation with moments of nature’s calming breaks, filled with its smells and sensations,” says Mija. “It’s subtle, almost spectral, something you catch in glimpses – as if just within reach, only for it to dissolve the moment you try to grasp it.”

Her choice to use black-and-white feels significant too. Mija explains that the factory’s architecture informed many aesthetic decisions: glass lends itself to reflections, while strong wooden beams form a striking graphic framework. “That contrast made black-and-white the only real choice – it strips away distractions, sharpening our focus on form, texture, and depth. It wasn’t just a stylistic decision; it was a way to refine and elevate the film’s sensory impact.”

What about their decision to feature the people who actually live there, rather than actors? “We never really questioned it,” says Mija. “The factory and their home exist in the same space, and they’ve built both from the ground up. This deep connection to the place made it impossible to imagine capturing its essence without including the people who have poured their hearts into it.”

“You don’t need to be a trained actor to be compelling on camera,” she continues. “It’s about being real, and as a director, it’s my job to foster that connection by shaping the space, guiding the energy, and creating the conditions for actors to be. When you’re able to establish that trust, it’s amazing how naturally everything falls into place.”