RIGA: The Latvian director Yevgeny Pashkevich has completed work on his third feature length film What Silent Gerda Knows, which will premiere in the main competition at the Riga International Film Festival, running 15 - 25 October 2020.

RIGA: The National Film Centre of Latvia has announced the results for the low budget film production grants scheme.

RIGA: Eight films will screen in the main competition of the 7th Riga International Film Festival, which runs from 15 – 25 October 2020. The competition section presents recent films from the Baltic Sea region and Nordic countries. The films will compete for a 2,000 EUR cash award.

RIGA: Aik Karapetian started shooting his fourth feature film, the dark comedy Samuel’s Travels, on 8 August 2020. The film is produced by Gints Grūbe through Mistrus Media (Latvia) and coproduced by Xavier Rombaut through Polar Bear (Belgium).

RIGA: Staņislavs Tokalovs’ sophomore feature Lovable / Mīlulis started shooting in Riga on 4 August 2020. The film is produced by Latvia’s Tasse Film in coproduction with Estonia’s Stellar Films (Estonia). The expected release is set for the end of 2021.

RIGA: The Riga Film Fund has announced five projects selected to receive cash rebates in the amount of 511,732 EUR for the films to be shot in Latvia this year.

RIGA: The Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries (Baltic Sea Docs), the Baltic documentary training and pitching event, has announced the 24 projects selected for its 24th edition, which will take place mostly online, 29 August – 6 September 2020. The projects come from 16 countries including Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Georgia.

RIGA: Latvian director Marta Elīna Martinsone has started shooting her debut film, the teen comedy Lame-o’s / Tizlenes produced by Ego Media. The film had several shooting days in January, but the main production period commenced in early July and is set to run until 5 August 2020.

RIGA: The Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia has issued rules that state the social distancing requirements for film productions, allowing the gradual restart of film production in the country.

RIGA: Cinema Splendid Palace, operated by the Riga Municipality, will be the first cinema to reopen in Riga on 19 May, following Latvia’s easing of lockdown restrictions, which began on 12 May. A new initiative, a Drive-in cinema opened near the Riga city centre on 16 May. However, Multikino Latvia has announced it ceased operations after almost ten years in the business in Riga.