10-02-2014

Riga to Host New Film Festival

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    RIGA: Two years after the Latvian film festival Arsenals was forced to shutter due to insufficient funding, plans are underway to launch the Riga International Film Festival, taking place in Latvian capital and this year's European Film Awards ceremony from 2 - 11 December 2014.

    The Riga International Film festival (RIFF) will merge all the country's leading film festivals: international short film festival 2ANNAS, the Baltic Pearl, the National Film festival Lielais Kristaps, and the Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries. A Nordic Children's and Youth Film programme will be presented with participation of team members the city's former international film festival Arsenals. The festival programme will be composed of nearly 150 films of which 60 or 70 will be feature length movies, planned to be shown in more than 160 screenings.

    RIFF in collaboration with the National Film Centre of Latvia will host a three day long industry section, Riga Meetings, to stimulate international coproductions and introduce opportunities to realize film projects in Latvia. The industry section will be accompanied by a conference for scriptwriters organised by 2ANNAS on script development and production, and will offer presentations and consultations by professionals to encourage an exchange of ideas.