Discoveries from Latvia World Cinema

On nature and love.

Adapted from an ancient Roman tale, "Mēnessbērns" tells a story of a girl Vita, who begs the moon to give her a family. The Moon Goddess makes her wish come true, but at a cost.

Short film about the unique nature of self-criticism, and the game between two opposing sides of the same mind.

"Saiet sviestā" is a Latvian saying which means losing your mind or messing something up. It literally translates to something "turning into butter" and the word "butter" itself is used to describe anything that is chaotic, illogical or failed. The short film demonstrates this along with the literal act of making butter.

When kindergarten pupil Raita and her friends learn that their beloved horse Orlik is in danger, the children do everything they can to save him.

The Banker has all the ingredients of a spy thriller: bribes, money laundering, trips to Russia, and a rogue country's ballistic missile program.

On the history of Latvian photography from the late 19th century to 1917.

A film about a misunderstood artist and his struggle with mental health issues.

Fish is smoke-cured by women while men are away at sea

A critical short film about Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of perestroika.

Experimental yet educative and fishy

In her daily hustle, rushing in all directions, Ieva maintains a positive spirit and lets her bubbly personality be a beacon of light and hope for those around her, even in tough situations. Alongside her work in the church congregation, running the soup kitchen, and supporting those in need, Ieva is accompanied in all her endeavors by her granddaughter, Anete. Where can the source of Ieva's inexhaustible energy be found, and what are the boundaries of her unconditional kindness?

Unearthing layers of earth, melting, shaping, and creating for the future. The practices of Germans Ermičs and Artis Nīmanis differ, so do the materials they use, yet both are among the most internationally acclaimed Latvian designers. What unites them is their dedication to materiality, though they each follow different personal and creative paths. Ermičs’ “magic of material and colour” emerges from glass, marble, and metal – he moves freely between the Netherlands, Latvia, and Portugal, as well as between the disciplines of design and visual art. Meanwhile in Latvia, under the brand “an&angel” Nīmanis deconstructs the concept of glass – in each of his pieces, he breathes a sense of the presence of nature.

Ten years ago, on November 21, 2013, the Zolitūde microdistrict in Riga experienced the greatest tragedy in terms of the number of victims since Latvia regained its independence. As a result of two collapses, 54 people died and dozens were injured under the rubble of the Maxima supermarket. The rescue operation to find survivors in the rubble lasted almost 94 hours. Relatives waited with bated breath and prayed together with all the people of Latvia, who watched the unfathomable scenes of the tragedy on live television. So far, only one person has been found guilty by the court. The film recreates the day of the tragedy and seeks an answer to the question of why justice did not prevail, as this would bring peace to the souls of the dead and soothe the still festering wounds of those left behind.

In the deep countryside of Latgale, Latvia, relatives and neighbours, near and far, come together to celebrate the last important ritual of human life. A series of events and details reveal a picture in which two different eras overlap.

Animation brigade's puppet animation film about Riga Film Studio.

Mareks is a young man who lived a full life, but then everything turned upside down – during a trip with colleagues, Mareks recklessly jumped off a pier into the water and became paralyzed. Fighting for his life, Mareks discovered his miraculous talent – painting with a brush held in his mouth. Mareks has found himself in this life and is an example to everyone of how not to give up and keep fighting, regardless of circumstances and life's challenges.

An essayistic film about Ansis Epners’s family and his hometown of Riga, intertwining a broader perspective on Latvian history with his family’s story of deportation and key elements of Epners’s personality and creative work.

Raimonds, 21, is a construction student who has taken a gap year at university. He spends his everyday life at his parents' house, playing computer games and slowly drowning in the virtual world. But this idleness is interrupted when his aunt brings his cunning and at least inwardly energetic grandfather Gunārs to the family home, who has to attend a medical check-up in the city. Raimonds' mother and aunt have to leave for a few days, so Raimonds will have to look after Gunārs and take him to the hospital.

After a failed attempt to retrieve money that they owe to the mafia, the only thing that can save the lives of four friends is their luck.

A look behind the scenes during the Covid-19 pandemic in Latvia. The documentary gives an insight about what goes on in the so called "Dirty Zone" - the area in the hospital where people suffering from infectious diseases are held. A continuation of "Netīrā zona" which was released by the Latvian National Television in January 2021.

The documentary follows five Latvian auto/moto athletes and their journeys in 2017 – Pauls Jonass in the World Motocross Championship, World Rallycross Championship participants Jānis Baumanis and Reinis Nitišs, Konstantīns Calko, who competed in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans car race, and Kristaps Blušs, who competed in the Formula Drift championship in the United States on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

An athlete with an unbreakable character on the soccer field and a fighter off it — this is the story of Kaspars Gorkšs, captain of the Latvian national team, who at the age of 33 has experienced various career turning points but has not succumbed to the temptation to take the easy way out.

A film produced in collaboration with the Latvian Football Federation tells the story of Latvia's leading female football referees: Viola Raudziņa, Jeļena Jermolajeva, and Diāna Vanaga.

Curiosity leads to success, success leads to innovation, the new creates resistance. Someone suffers.

The mundane life of Rita, a nurse and a single mum, changes when she sets eyes on a young photographer named Ernest. Meanwhile, an unexpected encounter with her ex-husband and the father of her child brings back hopes and desires of the past that challenge Rita’s true feelings.

The well known but misunderstood career of talanted opera singer Uldis Leiškalns ended more than 20 years ago. The real reasons behind him being fired remain a mistery. How does the life of an opera star change after stepping down from the golden stage to the gray streets of Riga?

“One Of Us” follows Latvia-born athletes – wrestler Anastasija Grigorjeva, veteran gymnast Igors Vihrovs, and up-and-coming figure skater Deniss Vasiļjevs. Being of non-Latvian ethnicity, they are sometimes treated as ‘others’ by native Latvians, who welcome them into their ranks only when they’ve shown astonishing results.

An animation film based on Latvian folk tales about Kurbads, a son of a mare, who saves princesses and defeats the evil witch.

Small dust creatures live on the bookshelf and find the world around them to be their home. One of them, a little wise Dusty, suddenly encounters a boy. Their friendship turns the boring everyday life into a great adventure...

This is the second film based on themes from Margarita Stāraste’s fairy-tales. Rosie is a red colouring pencil, who, together with the other pencils, colours in the author’s story as it progresses. Their work continues until the moment they are interrupted by the appearance of an uninvited fly. Chasing the fly, Rosie ends up with in the land of dew drops, grassmen, meadow maidens, and other forest creatures. He has stepped into a fairy-tale. There, Rosie enthusiastically helps out with jobs in the forest; however, in the meantime, the story has become a bit unusual without the colour red...

A documentary about Latgalians in Siberia.

Pond Battery visualises the electrical energy generated by the MFC (Microbial Fuel Cell) in outdoor conditions during a seven month time period from September 2014 to March 2015. The work is a part of the Biotricity project series, an ongoing art and science research project exploring dynamics of local ecosystems for envisioning the renewable future networks.

A Latvian documentary that tells the stories of LGBT people living in Latvia. Through personal interviews and everyday-life footage, participants discuss discovering their identities, coming out to family and friends, facing prejudice and discrimination, and finding acceptance and support. The film highlights both the difficulties and resilience of LGBT individuals in a society where attitudes toward sexual and gender minorities are still evolving. Rather than focusing on a single protagonist, it presents multiple voices and experiences, creating a broader portrait of Latvia's LGBT community. Its central message is one of visibility, solidarity, and hope: that LGBT people are not alone in their struggles and deserve understanding, respect, and equal treatment.

The girl in a summer day left alone by the lake meets her inner darkness. While drowning in her thoughts she falls in daydream, mind tricks itself, reality becomes delusional. The animal, beautiful spirit comes to save here.

The participants of a ritual are performing a rhythmic energy discharge. Suddenly, a vibration sound comes from outside. Spectators are hurrying back to their places. A dramatic ending can begin.

Character X has been living alone in a country house for several years, gone mad over time, now spending his day-to-day life with an imaginary company of ghosts.

Biographical story about a 23 year old guy who is a heroin addict, and how it's ruining his life.