Jānis Streičs

“Today you will hear my most honest and truthful story about how I made a movie with Eisenstein and Pudovkin almost 90 years ago, how I shot from a bow in the movie Ivan the Terrible, about how I taught the Red Army to ski, how I built the Riga Film Studio, about Naval ships, about Stalin and life in the Universe."

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.

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.

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.

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.

A modern story of love and how dangerous it is to play with the feelings of another.

A modern story of love and how dangerous it is to play with the feelings of another.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Edmunds Berzs is an architect who has achieved a comfortable life, but this causes him unease, so he decides to go to the country house where his mother lives. There he wakes up to find himself locked in a cage in the middle of the forest. Edmunds, paradoxically, finds the tranquility he was looking for.

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 six-year-old boy plots to stop his "sweetheart", a grown-up woman in his pre-World War II Latvian village, from marrying.

A six-year-old boy plots to stop his "sweetheart", a grown-up woman in his pre-World War II Latvian village, from marrying.

At the center of it is the fate of young women in the war and in the harsh post-war times, when witch-hunting of "enemies of the people" was a common occurrence. The brutal war is mutilating both the girls' bodies and their souls. Location: military hospital. It is just a backdrop to which the character rattles, the intrigue, the human relationships. The pathos of the tape conveys the idea that a woman is and remains a woman in all circumstances and situations. During the tumultuous years of war, they were also overwhelmed by true love, mutual understanding, trust and tenderness.

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.

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.

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.

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".

Human attempts to understand why when acting they are all going through the heart, but in real life are playing a role.

Human attempts to understand why when acting they are all going through the heart, but in real life are playing a role.

Human attempts to understand why when acting they are all going through the heart, but in real life are playing a role.

A simple prank turns to be quite dangerous and now a group of teenagers must handle the consequences.

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.

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.

Arvīds Lasmanis can't hold any job for long because he is not ready to tolerate deceit and slapdash work. He still has to feed his family, buy chance he finds a well-paid job as a gravedigger. A friend helps Arvīds to find a place in a construction team, but other workers don't approve of Arvīds' high principles. His wife accuses him of not knowing how to make money, the family lives crammed in one room of a shared flat. The Soviet absurd comedy tells a story about a man who, while at odds with the system, won't lose his conscience and his true self, even if it means saying no to wealth and comfort.

Ten year old Sancho arrives to Leningrad and starts looking for friends.

A group of young Latvian boys enroll to a pioneers movement during the first years after WWII.

A group of young Latvian boys enroll to a pioneers movement during the first years after WWII.

A young boy finds a watch with an engraving in Spanish saying that the watch belongs to Captain Enrico, and adventures begin...