Harijs Kukels

Harijs Kukels

Movies

Rudolf's Gold
Director of Photography
The dawn of the XX century promised Latvians a prosperous and happy future. The nation’s self-esteem had awakened, and farmers were increasingly able to rise above even the estate stewards. Rudups, old soldier of the Kaiser and, with his wealth and pride, a thorn in the Baron’s side, becomes truly uncontrollable when he’s hit by Cupid’s arrow. The old boy is willing to do anything for simple maid Emily. But the girl loves his godson Karlis. It’s all a mix of riches, of cheating, and the Baron’s lawlessness. The fight of two relatives for Emily’s heart changes the fate of both men and the maid, so she can see sunshine through the tears.
Roses of Autumn
Camera Operator
The film is about a middle-aged couple experiencing a midlife crisis. The husband and wife are tired of life together and start to forget the love they once shared in their youth.
Night-watchman and Laundress
Art Direction
A modern story of love and how dangerous it is to play with the feelings of another.
Ipolits
Art Direction
A family drama circling around a love triangle - a mother, a daughter and a son-in-law. The plot is focusing on the mother's psychological manipulation with the son to "make a man" of him.
The Mystery of the Old Parish House
Director of Photography
In this movie (based on a true story) within a movie, a director tries to film the tale of an old KGB activist living in a parish house. In the summer of 1941 the activist tortured and killed Latvians in the cellar of the house. Although the old man hires others to brick over the cellar door, the murdered people keep coming through the stones and never leave him in peace. Unbeknownst to the film makers, the "real" KGB activist, now an aged drunk, is milling about the film set. Moreover, the director and lead actor are competing for the love of the lead actress, and the film's producer wants the director to re-shoot parts of the movie.
The Mills of Fate
Director of Photography
Melodramatic movie with colorful elements of comedy and songs that have deeply rooted in the Latvian folklore. Love triangle - terminally ill university teacher, blind girl and young bard. In the background - wild arrival of the capitalism, political conflicts, city life and beautiful nature of Latvia. In the end love conquers everything though not everybody lives to witness that.
The Child of Man
Director of Photography
A six-year-old boy plots to stop his "sweetheart", a grown-up woman in his pre-World War II Latvian village, from marrying.
A House With No Exit
Director of Photography
An artist and his lover get trapped in their summer house by a gang of convicts.
It's Easy to Fall Into an Overgrown Ditch
Director of Photography
Apbraucamais ceļš
Director of Photography
A group of people get cut off from the rest of the world during a snowstorm.
The Last Indulgence
Director of Photography
A story about a young girl Olga and her struggles with the Soviet marketing system.
Soloist Needed
Director of Photography
Latvian friends are helping to Estonian rock group to participate in the music competition.
Fronte tēva pagalmā
Director of Photography
Strange Passions
Director of Photography
It is the post-war era on the Latvian border, and the Lithuanian girl Maryte has located her relative, Antanas. Having been a farmhand on a rich farm as well as the lover of the owner's wife, upon his return from the war Antanas hopes to gain as much as he can from the collapse of the old world. The wife's daughter, Ausma, has since grown up and seems much more desirable to Antanas than his former lover. The historical situation makes for a tense atmosphere, because in the nighttime partisans may emerge from the forest, while during the daytime everyone must be careful to follow the new rules of life under Soviet rule.
Rain Blues
Director of Photography
A lonely thirty year-old woman lives in a small apartment on the edge of town. She meets a man, life looks brighter, but she suspects he’s hiding something from her.
A Limousine the Colour of Midsummer's Eve
Director of Photography
When old auntie Mirta succeeds in a lottery and wins a car, which she cannot use herself, different family members are suddenly there to 'be helpful' in favor to get the car after aunties' death, not to mention, they never have come before to help her. The funny rivalry between two parts of family, a foolish jealousy to the near living peasants' family, which had always non-selfishly been there for auntie, is a caricature of greasy human nature. This is a slight humor of the Soviet life details as well. But aunt Mirta isn't fool, and is still young in her heart until her last minute, that appears in her last will - to whom the car, the limousine in the color of St. John's night goes.
To Remember or to Forget
Director of Photography
Unfinnished Dinner
Director of Photography
In one of the prestigious restaurants during banquet speech a large company's director Palmgren is killed in front of dozen guests . Case is lead by Criminal Investigation Officer Pierre Monson with his assistants. Suspect can be easily intercepted if only miserably lazy police officers Kvant and Kristiansson instead of catching criminal would not argue with father of little 3 years old boy who yelled: "Police, police, mashed potatoes" when they ate hot dogs. Help comes from capital in form of the famous Commissioner Martin Beck, who discovers that murdered industrialist was involved in illegal activities and had many enemies. The case is linked as well with government's "higher ends".
Theatre
Director of Photography
Human attempts to understand why when acting they are all going through the heart, but in real life are playing a role.
Theatre
Cinematographer
Human attempts to understand why when acting they are all going through the heart, but in real life are playing a role.
Master
Director of Photography
Artūrs comes back to Riga after serving in army and faces changes because of his years of absence- his girlfriend has met another man, his work in a factory in a superior position brings changes to relationships with acquaintances.
Faithful Friend Sancho
Director of Photography
Ten year old Sancho arrives to Leningrad and starts looking for friends.
The Times of the Surveyors
Second Unit Cinematographer
Land surveyors arrive in two parishes to measure and redistribute manor land. The rivalry between both feoffees for land and woman begins.
The Tsar's Bride
Camera Operator
Filmed adaptation of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera.