FESTIVALS: Leilais Kristaps Latvian National Film Festival Showcases 25 Films

05-11-2019

FESTIVALS: Leilais Kristaps Latvian National Film Festival Showcases 25 Films

By Zane Balčus

1906 by Gatis Šmits

RIGA: The Latvian National Film Festival, which runs from 7 – 12 November 2019 in Riga, will showcase 25 films in competition and out of competition screenings. Out of 95 submissions, the selection committee has nominated films and film professionals representing 25 of the submitted films, which will compete for the national film award in 23 different categories, including best fiction film, best documentary, animated film, fiction film director and others. The prizes will be awarded by an international jury.

The largest number of 15 nominations went to the historical drama 1906. Another two fiction films have nine nominations each: Jelgava ‘94 and Nekas mūs neapturēs.

The festival’s award ceremony will be held on 12 November, with a live broadcast on Latvian Television. .

The festival is organised by the Latvian Filmmakers Union in collaboration with the National Film Centre of Latvia and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.

The following films will compete in the best film categories:

Best fiction film:

1906 (Latvia)
Directed by Gatis Šmits
Produced by Studio Tanka

Blakus (Latvia)
Directed by Alise Zariņa
Produced by MF Production

Jelgava ’94 (Latvia)
Directed by Jānis Ābele
Produced by Jura Podnieka Studija

Nekas mūs neapturēs (Latvia)
Directed by Andris Gauja
Produced by Riverbed

Oļegs (Latvia, Belgium, Lithuania, France)
Produced by Tasse Film
Coproduced by lota Productions (Belgium), In Script (Lithuania), Arizona Production (France)

Best documentary:

Inga Can Hear / Inga dzird (Latvia)
Produced by Ruckas mākslas fonds
Coproduced by Exitfilm (Estonia)

Spoon / Karote (Latvia, Lithuania, Norway)
Directed by Laila Pakalnina
Produced by Hargla Company (Latvia)
Coproduced by Just a moment (Lithuania), Mechanix Film (Norway)

Sestā diena (Latvia)
Directed by Brigita Eglīte
Produced by Mistrus Media

My Father the Spy / Spiegs, kurš mans tēvs (Latvia, Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia)
Directed by Gints Grūbe, Jaak Kilmi
Produced by Mistrus Media
Coproduced by Kick Film (Germany), 8 Heads Productions (Czech Republic), PIMIK (Igaunija)

Putin’s Witnesses / Putina liecinieki (Latvia, Switzerland, Czech Republic)
Directed by Vitaly Mansky
Produced by Studio Vertov
Coproduced by Golden Egg Production (Switzerland), Hypermarket Film (Czech Republic)

Best animated film:

Jacob, Mimmi, and the Talking Dogs / Jēkabs, Mimmi un runājošie suņi (Latvia, Poland, Estonia)
Directed by Edmunds Jansons
Produced by Atom Art (Latvia)
Coproduced by Letko (Poland)

Away / Projām (Latvia)
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
Produced by Bilibaba

Saule brauca debesīs (Latvia)
Directed by Roze Stiebra
Produced by Filmu studija Lokomotīve

Published in Latvia