Jēkabs Nīmanis

Andrey Kovrin, overworked intellectual who dreams of liberty and glory, decides to retire to the country house of his old friend Pesotsky and his daughter Tanya to get some rest. As he sits in the garden, he sees the ghost of a monk, who will haunt his stay and eventually drive him mad.

While the parent bears are gathering reserves for the winter, the cubs are having fun with a ball of wool … A story told to the tune of a Latvian lullaby, “Hush Hush Little Bear” (‘Aijā, žūžū, lāča bērni’).

Fighting as a partisan in the mythical Baltic past and in wars in 20th century Eastern Europe at the same time, Baņuta’s life is saved by weary and disenchanted Lithuanian prince, Daumants. Speeding away on a motorcycle, he brings the fighter back to his homeland in Romove, a holy Baltic site. There is about to be a wedding, but the preparations are interrupted by ravens. Their black feathers are a mirror for Daumants’ conscience and act as a reminder of his crime against Jargala, a girl he raped and killed. Soon Daumants falls in battle, and being a stranger in Romove, Baņuta is caught up in sacrificial rituals and revenge. However, she is strong-willed and will not bow to fate – no one will take her happiness away. A hundred years after the premiere of Alfrēds Kalniņš’ first Latvian opera Baņuta in 1920, comes the opera film Baņuta – an international project that melds opera, musical performances, the conditionality of the performing arts and contemporary performativity.

The actors of the amateur theatre troupe in the Eastern part of Latvia (Latgale) live from the heart. In their daily life they are rooted in their own land, but on stage – true to life and funny. They are so strong they enjoy laughing at themselves. In the plays of their director Danskovīte, they do not act, they live for real. Portraits of the members of the Baltinava amateur theatre troupe “Palādas”, rehearsals and behind-scenes of staging the plays. “Determined Amateurs” is the last film by director Olafs Okonovs, after his death completed by his son, director Aleksandrs Okonovs, following Olafs’ idea.

Wild animals are in trouble. In areas that have always been covered with forests, there are now new housing estates, highways and polygons. Because of human activity, more and more animals get into accidents. But the injured animals still have hope because volunteer foster mothers take care for them.

When his family moves to the city of Zlín and 16-year-old David joins a new hockey team, the Wolves, he is determined to succeed. There’s, however, the other goalie, Miky – and his position seems unshakeable. The team doesn’t welcome David with open arms either. Captain Jerry and his gang do as they please, while the team follows the ‘law of the pack’. David has been weakened by his recently discovered diabetes, and that is not tolerated here. He is still coming to terms with his body, learning to estimate the insulin doses his life depends on. On the team, David is the outsider, bracing the avalanche of bullying that gradually gains speed.

When in love, one has no idea the price that must be paid to keep this love alive. This is a film about a woman forced to choose between her own freedom or being a loving mother and wife. The script is based on motifs from the fairy tale by Latvian writer Kārlis Skalbe.

An actress faces a difficult choice when her teenage daughter gets unwell right before the opening night of a show.

Shammies are four curious little creatures: Sockie, Hankie, Mitten, and Pillow. They are eager to explore the world and find out answers to tricky questions, like - who lives in the bathroom?, can one get well by eating candy?, what is the best place to hide? Luckily, their dear companion Mr Cat is always around to help. The adventures of Shammies, which are particularly enjoyed by pre-schoolers and are screened at film festivals around the world, are compiled in a collection of cut-out animation shorts, namely: How Shammies Bathed, How Shammies Guessed, How Shammies Teeter-tottered, How Shammies Were Getting Married, How Shammies Played Hide and Seek, How Shammies Got Well, How Shammies Built A House, How Shammies Tidied-Up, How Shammies Told Time, How Shammies Travelled, How Shammies Had Breakfast.

After fighting over toys, two kids – brother and sister – experience adventurous yet dangerous journey in the magic kingdom under the sand box, where, accompanied by their extraordinary nanny the witch, they learn about the power of companionship.

The story of a small Minotaur who tries to find playmates in the endless labyrinth while his Dad is at work. He only manages to meet mythological characters, busy with their own ambitions.

This creative documentary tells the story of women in art – what she has to sacrifice in her personal life and what choices have to be made in order to gain success in her career. The film explores life of artist, by following theatre director’s Mara Kimele's fighting relationships with her despotic grandmother Anna Lacis (widely known as Asya, whose life is closely tied to the names of Walter Benjamin and Bertolt Brech), cynical son Peteris (who is played by an actor) and work while she stages F. Dostoevsky's “Crime and Punishment”. Every character of film is an act. But does that make them any less real? And what is real in the world of art? Apart from its human character's, the film also has an animated one – the horse, who came into life through the first letter Mara wrote to her grand mother and has been following her ever since.

In the middle of a grey sea there is a grey isle. On this grey island grey hunters live. The life is simple and harsh. Seals and hunters live together in a cruel balance. One day, the Photographer arrives to document this everyday life. For him it turns out to be deadly complicated. The film is an absurd comedy about the unstoppable desire to see the surrounding through one's preconceptions.

A film about one of Europe's best young theatre directors, Latvian-born Alvis Hermanis, and his distinctive method, marked by a renunciation of classic dramatic material.

A young boy likes to play anywhere and anytime, with anything that is handy. A poetess plays with words, a composer with sound, and a filmmaker with images, the result of which is a cinematic poem that motivates the viewer to remember his Homo Ludens.

A young boy likes to play anywhere and anytime, with anything that is handy. A poetess plays with words, a composer with sound, and a filmmaker with images, the result of which is a cinematic poem that motivates the viewer to remember his Homo Ludens.

A charcoal on paper animation about a motorcycling circus bear who decides to leave the daily routine and takes off to the forest where his true happiness seems to dwell. Selected at 70+ film festivals. International Festival Premier at Clermont-Ferrand 34th Int'l Short Film Festival, France, 2012.

Sometimes even those who are used to crawling, get to fly.

Seagulls and sea, a breakwater and otherwise nothing but wasteland and cold wind. On the concrete, a chic handbag, scattered high heels and long legs in a tight miniskirt. Vika, a famous model, lies shivering on the cold ground after a heavy night drinking, left behind by a guy in a convertible. Little Mika finds her: she also dreams of becoming a model and Vika is her idol.

The time for the annual great graveyard celebration is approaching in a small town. Scientist Laila can’t attend it alone this year. She has to make a choice.