Latvian films and co-productions will be presented at several Cannes programmes and Market Screenings. Be sure to mark the dates and times, and don’t miss out on the new films from Latvia.
BALTIC NEW WAVE (BALTIJAS JAUNAIS VILNIS)
Directed by Kristine Briede and Audrius Stonys
Written by Kristine Briede and Audrius Stonys with participating Ramunė Rakauskaitė, Arūnas Matelis and Riho Vastrik
Producer Uldis Cekulis
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia
Market Screening:
Vilnius Goes to Cannes
May 22, 14.00-16.00,
Palais K, Level 4
A story about a unique phenomenon in the history of cinema – the Baltic school of poetic documentary and its creators. Filmmakers from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia who broke the dogmatic tradition of propaganda documentaries in the Soviet Union during the 1960s. They created films that were completely different: humane, meaningful and poetic. The story is told as a poetic road movie with elements of mystery by two filmmakers – contemporary director Audrius Stonys (LT) at the peak of his career, and Herz Frank (LV/ISR), his late friend and mentor. Frank guides Stonys and the audience by following the Map of Ptolemy – a symbolic cinematographic code-book that suggests new discoveries both in poetic filmmaking and its meaning.
FIRSTBORN (PIRMDZIMTAIS)
Directed by Aik Karapetian
Producer Roberts Vinovskis
Latvia
Market Screening:
May 19, 15.30,
Palais D
A psychological thriller about a middle-aged intellectual who, in an attempt to restore his reputation in his wife’s eyes, accidentally commits a murder. As time passes he begins to see a link between the deceased, his wife’s pregnancy, and the mysterious blackmailer who is forcing him to act against his will.
SINGING HUGO AND HIS INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES (DZIEDOŠAIS HUGO UN VIŅA NETICAMIE PIEDZĪVOJUMI)
Directed by Reinis Kalnaellis
Written by Kaspars Roga
Producer Vilnis Kalnaellis
Latvia
Screening:
Animaze Daze in Cannes
Animation Day
May 23
Chicken Hugo lives at the end of the world and dreams of becoming a singer but by force of destiny he ends up in a materialistic world where he has to fight to live and fly.
SOULCASH
Directed by Elīna Maligina
Written by Elīna Maligina
Producer Daina Geidmane
Latvia
Screening:
Short Film Corner
May 24, 15.30,
Palais H
A mature woman’s fall into her sub-conscience. She is dealing with memories of her past experiences, struggling to define and come to terms with the female condition. In the vast void of her own consciousness, she is searching for the beginning, the essence and purpose of everything in her life. She needs to make peace with what it means to be a woman… What it means to be human.
TO BE CONTINUED (TURPINĀJUMS)
Directed by Ivars Seleckis
Written by Dace Dzenovska
Producer Antra Gaile
Latvia
Market Screening:
Vilnius Goes to Cannes
May 22, 14.00-16.00,
Palais K, Level 4
The documentary captures Latvia’s future as seen by children, while observing how children’s lives are shaped by the situation in their country. Shot over the course of two years, the film follows seven children from all around the country who started attending school in 2015. Each of them leads different lives. One resides in the Latvian countryside, with parents who hope their child will become a farmer, another is staying with their grandmother while their mother works in the UK, the third child, whose grandparents came to Latvia after World War II, dreams of becoming a businessman. They are seven children at the intersection of various historical, social and economic processes.
VIRUS (VĪRUSS)
Directed by Angelos Frantzis
Written by Angelos Frantzis, Spyros Kribalis
Producers Giorgos Karnavas, Konstantinos Kontovrakis
Co-producers Aija Bērziņa, Alise Ģelze
Latvia/Greece
Market Screening:
Thessaloniki Goes to Cannes
May 23
Petros and Anna are a Greek couple in their 30s that moved to Siberia from Athens a few months ago. Petros, a distinguished environmental engineer, rational and cool-headed, has undertaken an innovative project for the city’s heavy industrial plant. Their lives are unexpectedly disrupted when Anna gets pregnant, and they both know Petros can’t be the father. The crisis inside the couple culminates. Faith and reason violently confront each other, as the futile struggle for meaning in a constantly changing world becomes an obsession.