Producer Uljana Kim receives her award at the Lithuanian film festival “Silver Crane” for outstanding professional achievement in co-producing films with Latvian and Estonian counterparts, and symbolically gives it to her Latvian colleague, Roberts Vinovskis to affirm that it is a collective award for the producers of the three Baltic nations.
In attendance, Lithuania’s Prime Minister and Minister of Culture ceremoniously opened the national film festival Silver Crane, this year, celebrating its 10th anniversary. The award ceremony was broadcast live on national TV and consistently ranks as one of the most viewed programs in the country.
One of the main awards – The Silver Crane for outstanding professional achievement in co-producing films with Latvian and Estonian counterparts (Seneca’s Day by Kristijonas Vildžiūnas, Exiled by Dāvis Sīmanis and Pretenders by Vallo Toomla, all from 2016) was won by Lithuanian producer Uljana Kim. On stage, the laureate invited her colleague from Latvia, Roberts Vinovskis, to join her, and then ceremoniously handed the award to the representative of Studio Lokomotive.
In her acceptance speech she mentioned that the films they produced and the resulting award were a group effort, and that this was only possible through the involvement of all stakeholders with great professionalism, to create such internationally highly-rated projects. Two of the films (Pretenders and Exiled) have already premiered internationally, and will soon be followed by Seneca’s Day.
“I not only want to thank Lithuania’s, but also Latvia’s and Estonia’s film centres for their support and financing that has ensured this film’s production. I am truly happy that together with my Latvian colleague, Roberts Vinovskis from Studio Lokomotive, and Estonian colleague Rina Sildos from studio Amrion, we were successful in joining all three Baltic states in film, and this award affirms that we are on the correct path. I hand over this award to my Latvian colleague, so that our Silver Crane can fly to Riga, the geographical Baltic centre, to symbolically show that our unity is strength.”
Roberts Vinovskis: “It is not long since the first co-production in which all three Baltic states have participated, but now we have reached a turning point in the way Baltic producers think, and also in the national film centre co-production financing policies. I think that as of now our cooperation can be rated a success and also strategically correct. Nevertheless, I have a special pleasure in that our cooperation plays a more significant role not only financially, but also in creative collaboration. From this, we all can only gain, and our films’ international successes prove that.”
In total, Studio Lokomotive’s co-productions were nominated in seven categories (Best editing – Daniels Kokanauskis for Pretenders, Šiaurės Kryptis for best musical film Seneca’s Day, Kristijonas Vildžiunas as best director Seneca’s Day, Seneca’s Day for best film, Pretenders for best co-produced film.) The Lithuanian film, theatre and opera veteran, Galius Kličius also won an award for artwork in Seneca’s Day.
Further commentary from Lithuania’s national film awards ceremony (in Lithuanian) can be found HERE.
Further information
Liene Ančupāne
liene@locomotive.lv
+371 26443883