Through the screening of both the latest productions and selected classics, the inaugural 2018 New York Baltic Film Festival (October 18-21) offers an unprecedented opportunity to see the best in Northern European filmmaking.
Festival has selected an impressive list of US and NYC premieres and a notable classic films that have rarely been seen outside of Europe as well as the latest features, documentaries, and animation films from some of the most established and upcoming filmmakers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Five films will represent Latvian cinema:
- canonical masterpiece of the Baltic Poetic cinema The White Bells (dir. Ivars Kraulītis, 1961),
- Los Angeles Film Festival awardee (Best Feature Film Award) and Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus winner in Berlinale – Mother, I Love You (dir. Jānis Nords, 2013),
- inspiring and heroic life story of the art lover Mērija Grīnberga Merija’s Journey (dir. Kristīne Želve, 2018),
- historic myths overthrowing docudrama of the last pagans in Europe Baltic Tribes (dir. Lauris Ābele, Raitis Ābele, 2018),
- charming animation short about death and life The Esperance of Will, (dir. Rene Turtledove, 2017).
In addition, premiered in NYC will also be the Lithuanian-Latvian co-production documentary by Arunas Matelis Wonderful Losers. A Different World – the Lithuanian entry for the Oscar run 2019. This film was co-produced by Uldis Cekulis from VFS Films in Latvia, and two Latvian cameramen, Ivars Zviedris and Valdis Celmins, were part of the cinematography team.
Directors of Baltic Tribes and Merija’s Journey and Wonderful Losers. A Different World will be present for the Q&A’s after the screenings. See the full program HERE
The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been producing motion pictures since 1910. While not as well-known as those in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe, their industries have met challenges in one era or another that ultimately only galvanized their creative ambitions for features, documentaries, and animation shorts. Meet the Other Cinema of Northern Europe!
The 2018 New York Baltic Film Festival is presented Scandinavia House and organized by the Consulate General of Estonia, Consulate General of Lithuania and Consulate of Latvia in New York. Programming support is from the Estonian Film Institute, National Film Center of Latvia, and Lithuanian Film Center. Funding for the festival is courtesy of governments of the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and by the generous donations of members of the Baltic community in New York. Additional support to the festival is from the Lithuanian Cultural Institute, the Consulate General of Finland in New York, ASIFA-East, and the American Scandinavian Foundation.