Herz Frank

At the beginning of the 1960s, when the French pioneers of cinéma vérité set out to achieve a new realism, and when direct cinema in Québec began to vie for notice, the Baltics wit-nessed the birth of a generation of documentarists who favored a more romantic view of the world around them. This meditative documentary essay – from a Latvian writer and Lithuanian director whose composed touch has long dovetailed with the stylistically diverse works of the Baltic New Wave – pushes adroitly past the limits of the common his-toriographic investigation to create a portrait of less-clearly remembered filmmakers. The result is a consummate poetic treatment of the ontology of documentary creation. Also a cinematic poem about cinema poets.

The main characters of the film have made choices, which change their lives forever. A young man Yigal Amir assassinates the Prime Minister of Israel and becomes the most hated prisoner in the country. Larissa, who emigrated from Russia, mother of four divorces her first husband, marries the assassin and gives birth to his son. For many years the film authors have been trying to solve and perceive this complicated story. One of them, Hertz Frank, passes away during the shootings remaining on the threshold of the eternal mystery - life, death and love...

The main characters of the film have made choices, which change their lives forever. A young man Yigal Amir assassinates the Prime Minister of Israel and becomes the most hated prisoner in the country. Larissa, who emigrated from Russia, mother of four divorces her first husband, marries the assassin and gives birth to his son. For many years the film authors have been trying to solve and perceive this complicated story. One of them, Hertz Frank, passes away during the shootings remaining on the threshold of the eternal mystery - life, death and love...

The main characters of the film have made choices, which change their lives forever. A young man Yigal Amir assassinates the Prime Minister of Israel and becomes the most hated prisoner in the country. Larissa, who emigrated from Russia, mother of four divorces her first husband, marries the assassin and gives birth to his son. For many years the film authors have been trying to solve and perceive this complicated story. One of them, Hertz Frank, passes away during the shootings remaining on the threshold of the eternal mystery - life, death and love...

On the islet of Procida near Naples, Italy, the Mystery Procession commencing at dawn on Good Friday of each year, has been traditionally conducted by the “Turchini Fraternity” since 1627... The film captures portraits of Procida’s inhabitants during the procession and in effect reveals characteristics of the Italian people.

On the islet of Procida near Naples, Italy, the Mystery Procession commencing at dawn on Good Friday of each year, has been traditionally conducted by the “Turchini Fraternity” since 1627... The film captures portraits of Procida’s inhabitants during the procession and in effect reveals characteristics of the Italian people.

On the islet of Procida near Naples, Italy, the Mystery Procession commencing at dawn on Good Friday of each year, has been traditionally conducted by the “Turchini Fraternity” since 1627... The film captures portraits of Procida’s inhabitants during the procession and in effect reveals characteristics of the Italian people.

On the islet of Procida near Naples, Italy, the Mystery Procession commencing at dawn on Good Friday of each year, has been traditionally conducted by the “Turchini Fraternity” since 1627... The film captures portraits of Procida’s inhabitants during the procession and in effect reveals characteristics of the Italian people.

An autobiographical work from Herz Frank. Images guide us through the countries in which he worked, interspersed with fragments from his earlier films: births, autopsies, circumcisions, prisoners awaiting execution and other shocking themes.

An autobiographical work from Herz Frank. Images guide us through the countries in which he worked, interspersed with fragments from his earlier films: births, autopsies, circumcisions, prisoners awaiting execution and other shocking themes.

An autobiographical work from Herz Frank. Images guide us through the countries in which he worked, interspersed with fragments from his earlier films: births, autopsies, circumcisions, prisoners awaiting execution and other shocking themes.

An autobiographical work from Herz Frank. Images guide us through the countries in which he worked, interspersed with fragments from his earlier films: births, autopsies, circumcisions, prisoners awaiting execution and other shocking themes.

An ironic reportage about Shakespeare’s Juliet who has turned from a symbol of love into a victim of mass culture. The film was shot during a day in the backyard of the Cappelletti house in Verona.

An ironic reportage about Shakespeare’s Juliet who has turned from a symbol of love into a victim of mass culture. The film was shot during a day in the backyard of the Cappelletti house in Verona.

An ironic reportage about Shakespeare’s Juliet who has turned from a symbol of love into a victim of mass culture. The film was shot during a day in the backyard of the Cappelletti house in Verona.

An ironic reportage about Shakespeare’s Juliet who has turned from a symbol of love into a victim of mass culture. The film was shot during a day in the backyard of the Cappelletti house in Verona.

An ironic reportage about Shakespeare’s Juliet who has turned from a symbol of love into a victim of mass culture. The film was shot during a day in the backyard of the Cappelletti house in Verona.

"The Jewish Street" is a documentary produced by Augusts Sukuts and directed by his close colleague, Latvian-born director Hertz Frank, one of the founders of the Baltic poetic documentary genre. "The Jewish Street" is dedicated to the painful issues of the Holocaust and the Riga Ghetto.

"The Jewish Street" is a documentary produced by Augusts Sukuts and directed by his close colleague, Latvian-born director Hertz Frank, one of the founders of the Baltic poetic documentary genre. "The Jewish Street" is dedicated to the painful issues of the Holocaust and the Riga Ghetto.

"The Jewish Street" is a documentary produced by Augusts Sukuts and directed by his close colleague, Latvian-born director Hertz Frank, one of the founders of the Baltic poetic documentary genre. "The Jewish Street" is dedicated to the painful issues of the Holocaust and the Riga Ghetto.

One family, one band. They seemed to be happy. A movie that investigates why these seemingly optimistic musicians suddenly saw no hope to continue living in USSR and tried to escape it by hijacking a plane.

One family, one band. They seemed to be happy. A movie that investigates why these seemingly optimistic musicians suddenly saw no hope to continue living in USSR and tried to escape it by hijacking a plane.

The painful exit of a child of man in the world of God. The highest sense of being and the earthly joy of man and woman.

The painful exit of a child of man in the world of God. The highest sense of being and the earthly joy of man and woman.

A man is facing a trial for murdering a Latvian union leader, which more likely than not will end with a death sentence. A close-up look at his emotional journey through the trial, imprisonment and beyond.

A man is facing a trial for murdering a Latvian union leader, which more likely than not will end with a death sentence. A close-up look at his emotional journey through the trial, imprisonment and beyond.

A documentary about the role of a victim in crime.

A documentary about the role of a victim in crime.

The creation of Sergeij Eisenstein's wooden sculpture by Igor Vasiliers.

The creation of Sergeij Eisenstein's wooden sculpture by Igor Vasiliers.

A 10 minute long journey of emotions that befall children faces. Fear, Curiosity; a Smile. They all sit in a dark theater. What they see, we don't; we can only guess from their faces.

A 10 minute long journey of emotions that befall children faces. Fear, Curiosity; a Smile. They all sit in a dark theater. What they see, we don't; we can only guess from their faces.

Follows the life of a 16 yearo-old convict through the Soviet penal system.

Follows the life of a 16 yearo-old convict through the Soviet penal system.

Philosophic reportage about work of pathoanatomist. Documentary version of Rembrandt’s «Anatomy Lesson».

Reportage about competition for draft horses which turns into cinematographic parable about people’s desire to achieve the impossible.

Reportage about competition for draft horses which turns into cinematographic parable about people’s desire to achieve the impossible.

A psychological portrait of kolkhos chairman Edgar Kaulin, who saved many Latvian farmers from deportations by the Soviets in the period 1945-53, and with them built up a kolkhos.

A psychological portrait of kolkhos chairman Edgar Kaulin, who saved many Latvian farmers from deportations by the Soviets in the period 1945-53, and with them built up a kolkhos.

Soviet Union's routine explained through the life of common people.

Soviet Union's routine explained through the life of common people.

In the 1966 the population of the Soviet Union was estimated at 235 million. A group of Latvian filmmakers traveled the length and breadth of the country to create a portrait of the diverse population.

In 1968 Herz Frank made Without Legends (Bez leģendām) at the Kuibishev studios, together with Aloizs Brenčs and Aleksandr Sazhin.

A poetic film about theatre being played to workers of a factory during their lunchbreak.

Filmmakers of Riga poetic documentary school, Freimanis and Seleckis, were designated as the creative core for this documentary to be shot in honour of the 25th anniversary of the Soviet Latvia. The team was joined by the heavyweight poet Imants Ziedonis and Herz Frank as script writers. Instead of one of the old, merited, medal rattling ‘combat camera- men’, “Year in Review” is an unusually vivid and unique film for the time. The creative team were awarded the State Prize for the film.

Herz Frank short film.

A little girl wanders all alone in the morning, through a bustling city, looking for the white bells she noticed in the window of a florist's shop. This film heralded the birth of a new film language in Latvian cinema. It received awards at the San Francisco and Oberhausen festivals. and was included on the list of the “world’s 100 best short films” by the film critics at the 1995 Clermont-Ferrand film festival.. All three of the film’s authors together with their peers became the creators of the legendary Riga School of Poetic Documentary.