14-11-2019

FNE at 2019 Latvian National Film Festival: Oleg Wins Three Top Awards

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    Latvian Film Awards Ceremony Latvian Film Awards Ceremony photo: A. Zeltina

    RIGA: Oleg by Juris Kursietis was awarded the Lielais Kristaps best feature length fiction film prize at the 12 November 2019 closing ceremony of the Latvian National Film Festival, held at the historic cinema Splendid Palace. The Lielais Kristaps national film awards were given to films and film professionals in 23 different categories.

    Oleg, produced by Tasse Film (Latvia) in coproduction with lota Productions (Belgium), In Script (Lithuania) and Arizona Production (France), received three prizes in total, including the best prize in the category of best fiction film cinematography and best supporting actor.

    Jelgava ’94 directed by Jānis Ābele received four prizes, the highest number for any film. The film, set in the 1990s and based on a book by writer Jānis Joņevs, was produced by Jura Podnieka studija. The film received the best director prize, best supporting actress, best costume design and best make-up prizes.

    The debut full-length fiction film by director Alise Zariņa Nearby / Blakus (MF Production) received the best screenplay award, which went to Alise Zariņa and Marta Elīna Martinsone. Two prizes were awarded to the historical drama 1906 by director Gatis Šmits, produced by Studija Tanka: best composer and best set design.

    In the documentary categories, Vitaly Mansky’s Putin’s Witnesses was pronounced the best full-length documentary (Studio Vertov). The prize for documentary film directing went to director Kaspars Goba for the film Inga Can Hear / Inga dzird.

    Among the three full length animated films competing for the best film award, Gints Zilbalodis’ Away received the main prize. Zilbalodis was also awarded a FIPRESCI diploma from the Latvian section of the film critics’ association. The best animation director prize went to Edmunds Jansons for Jacob, Mimmi, and the Talking Dogs, and the best animation artist prize went to Ilze Vītoliņa for the film Before the Day Breaks.

    The films were evaluated by an international jury, comprising film professionals from different fields and countries – documentary film director Audrius Stonys (Lithuania), composer Lolita Ritmanis (USA), director and lecturer Dāvis Sīmanis (Latvia), director Arvīds Krievs (Latvia), film critic and historian Zane Balčus (Latvia), scriptwriter Larisa Gutmanis (Canada), director and scriptwriter Boris Frumin (USA).

    The national film award is organised by the Latvian Filmmakers Union in collaboration with the Latvian National Film Centre and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, with financial support from Riga City Council.

    Lielais Kristaps Awards:

    Best Feature: Oleg (Latvia, Belgium, Lithuania, France)
    Directed by Juris Kursietis
    Produced by Tasse Film
    Coproduced by lota Productions (Belgium), In Script (Lithuania), Arizona Production (France)

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

    Best Cinematography: Bogumil Godfrejow for Oleg (Latvia, Belgium, Lithuania, France)
    Directed by Juris Kursietis
    Produced by Tasse Film
    Coproduced by lota Productions (Belgium), In Script (Lithuania), Arizona Production (France)

    Best Actor: Dawid Ogrodnik for Oleg (Latvia, Belgium, Lithuania, France)
    Directed by Juris Kursietis
    Produced by Tasse Film
    Coproduced by lota Productions (Belgium), In Script (Lithuania), Arizona Production (France)

    Best Actress: Ieva Puke for Jelgava ’94 (Latvia)
    Directed by Jānis Ābele
    Produced by Jura Podnieka Studija

    Best Costume Design: Aija Strazdiņa for Jelgava ’94 (Latvia)
    Directed by Jānis Ābele
    Produced by Jura Podnieka Studija

    Best Make-up: Maija Gundare for Jelgava ’94 (Latvia)
    Directed by Jānis Ābele
    Produced by Jura Podnieka Studija

    Best Screenplay: Alise Zariņa and Marta Elīna Martinsone for Nearby / Blakus (Latvia)
    Directed by Alise Zariņa
    Produced by MF Production

    Best Composer: Rihards Zaļupe for 1906 (Latvia)
    Directed by Gatis Šmits
    Produced by Studio Tanka

    Best Set Design: Rūdolfs Baltiņš for 1906 (Latvia)
    Directed by Gatis Šmits
    Produced by Studio Tanka

    Best Documentary: 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 Documentary Director: Kaspars Goba for Inga Can Hear / Inga dzird (Latvia)
    Produced by Ruckas mākslas fonds
    Coproduced by Exitfilm (Estonia)

    Best Documentary DoP: Valdis Eglītis for Sestā diena (Latvia)
    Directed by Brigita Eglīte
    Produced by Mistrus Media

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

    Best Animated Film: Away / Projām (Latvia)
    Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
    Produced by Bilibaba

    Best Animated Film Director: Edmunds Jansons for Jacob, Mimmi, and the Talking Dogs / Jēkabs, Mimmi un runājošie suņi (Latvia, Poland, Estonia)
    Produced by Atom Art (Latvia)
    Coproduced by Letko (Poland)

    Best Animation Artist: Ilze Vītoliņa for Saule brauca debesīs (Latvia)
    Directed by Roze Stiebra
    Produced by Filmu studija Lokomotīve

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