Director of Photography
A high-school folk dancing group heads to Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival, an event that takes place every five years and is part of the Latvian national identity – this is the culmination point of five years of work. Away from their homes and parents, they spend seven days and nights together. They are 18 and have just graduated, and this seems to be the last idle summer of their lives. Dreams mix with boredom, silly jokes with serious conversations. Taking care of one another creates affection and grows into a collective power. There are thousands like them at the festival. Every individual sensation turns into a common celebration that becomes more than just a tradition.
Director of Photography
The story of the German occupation of Latvia and one of Rīga’s major 20th century historical tragedies, which will be remembered by the people of Rīga forever. French teacher Riva Šefere, lawyer Aleksandrs Bergmanis, music teacher Gabriela Paraša, film historian Valentīna Freimane and historian and founder of the museum “Jews in Latvia” Marģers Vetermanis are just a few of the 30 000 Latvian Jews who were imprisoned in the Riga ghetto. These are eyewitness memories of the holocaust that need to be told.
Director of Photography
Former ice researcher and Orthodox pastor Andrey Voronin is called Ice-Breaker because of his brave opinions. A unique children’s home, whose foster children are now famous in the whole of Russia, was created under his guidance. The pastor thinks that life is a fight and you have to be prepared for it all of the time. This is why, together with the children, he conquers the tops of mountains.
Director of Photography
Through expressive poetic cinematography this film offers a “poem” on the hundreds of worker-bees behind the annual celebrations of Latvian proclamation on November 18.
Director of Photography
This is a story about four men looking for missing soldiers. What is dragging 30 year old great friends to long forgotten war fields? To give an answer to this question would be to find the meaning of life. With sincere emotional touch the film is following the way of an unknown soldier back to his family and motherland after more than half a century. The events of the film take place at the same time as the second war in Iraq. The film is based on a novel „Diggers” by Viktors Duks, nominated for the EPPI Award in 2003.
Editor
Based on interviews with over one hundred people including musicians, hockey fans, farmers, executives, and pensioners in the market. From Latvian President Vaira Vike- Freiberga and business tycoon Aivars Lembergs, to Russian poet Sergei Timofeyev, all discussions stem from one question: What does it mean to be Latvian?
