This year’s Brussels Short Film Festival, which runs from 23 April to 3 May, will feature two programmes of Latvian shorts, giving audiences the opportunity to discover the full range of Latvian cinema – from treasured film classics to the latest revelations.
Published: 24.04.2015.
Classical Latvian documentary cinema will be represented by three films – “The White Bell”(Baltie zvani, 1961) by Ivars Kraulītis, “The Worker” (Strādnieks, 1963) by Uldis Brauns and “Ten Minutes Older” (Vecāks par desmit minūtēm, 1978) by Herz Frank. The legendary Riga poetic documentary style was born in the 1960s and is reflected in these films. The director Laila Pakalniņa continues this tradition with “The Linen” (Veļa, 1991), her short fiction “Water” (Ūdens, 2006) and the documentary sketch “Short Film about Life” (Īsfilma par dzīvi, 2014).
Another world-renowned Latvian director is Vladimir Leschiov, who has directed animation films using various techniques. This year’s programme will feature two of his early works – “Insomnia” (Bezmiegs, 2004) and “Lost in Snow” (Zuduši sniegā, 2007).
The most recent generation of Latvian film-makers will also be represented at the Brussels Short Film Festival with three fiction shorts made by Latvian students – “Safety Matches” (Sērkociņi, 2007) by Didzis Eglītis, “Fake me a Happy New Year” (Četri mielasti, 2013) by Liene Linde and “Gonzales” (2013) by Vents Grīnbaums. “Treasures of the Sea” (Jūras nauda, 2013) by the young director Astra Zoldnere, on the other hand, continues the tradition of observational cinema.
Each year, the Brussels Short Film Festival features over 300 short films from all around the world and attracts up to 24 000 film enthusiasts.
The screening of Latvian films at Belgian international film festivals is part of the Latvian EU Council Presidency cultural programme organised by the Secretariat of the Latvian EU Council Presidency in cooperation with the Embassy of Latvia to Belgium and the National Film Centre of Latvia.
Under the Latvian Presidency, several more film programmes will be shown in Belgium. “The Shoe” (Kurpe, 1998), a feature film by Laila Pakalniņa, and several documentaries by Juris Podnieks will be screened at the Brussels Cinematek from 20 to 31 May, and on 27 May the Latvian director Dāvis Sīmanis will present two of his films at the BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts.
Agnese Zapāne
Senior Officer
(Promotion of domestic films abroad, festival coordinator)
Tel: + 371 6735 8866
agnese.zapane@nkc.gov.lv