Cinema of Latvia
Encyclopedia
Cinema of Latvia dates back to 1910 when the first short films were made.. The first cinematic screening in Riga
took place on May 28, 1896. By 1914 all major cities in Latvia had cinemas where newsreels, documentaries and mostly foreign made short films were screened.
Two years after cinema was invented by Lumiere brothers, on 22 January 1898 Sergei Eisenstein
was born in Riga
, the capital of Latvia nowadays.
The first Latvian feature film Lāčplēsis directed by Aleksandris Rusteikis was released in 1930. The Fisherman's Son (1939) directed by Emmy Award
nominee (1975) Vilis Lapenieks is considered a Latvian classic ending the era of filmmaking before the outbreak of WW II.
After the Soviet occupation of Latvia
in 1940 Vilis Lapenieks emigrated and after the end of the war continued his film-making career abroad where he has been credited internationally as cinematographer
on more than 63 titles.
The Riga Documentary Film Studio was created in Latvia during the first year of Soviet occupation. During the first decades of Soviet rule filmmakers in Latvia were coming mostly from Soviet Russia creating propaganda films to depict the victory of Socialism.
After the death of Stalin in 1953 a more liberal period in Soviet Union's cultural policies followed. Filmmakers started to enjoy greater artistic control at the same time the Soviet State Committee for Cinematography (Goskino
) in Moscow provided the money, state censorship body Glavlit and CPSU
Department of Culture had the control over releasing the movies.
The first Latvian feature films produced during the era still had to meet the ideological requirements of the Soviet regime: The Story of a Latvian Rifleman (1957) directed by Pavels Armands and Tobago Changes Its Cource (1965) directed by Aleksandras Leimais were produced.
In 1963 the Riga Film Studio completed the construction of 1890 m2
film studios complex.
In the 1970s Aleksandras Leimais and Gunārs Pieses became the most popular directors in Latvia making a series of historical adventure films. Put, vejini (Blow, Wind) (1973) directed by Pieses is a movie based on a story of Latvians popular author Jānis Streičs
. Naves ena (In the Shadow of Death) (1971) is adopted from a story by Rudolfs Blaumanis
. One of the most popular films from the era is Limuzīns Jāņu Nakts Krāsā (Limousine the Color of St. John's Night) (1981) , a light parody on the Soviet system
Other most notable Latvian directors from the era are Aivars Freimanis, Rolands Kalnins
and Andris Grinbergs. Latvias top film actors during the era were Eduards Pavuls, Lilita Berzina, Gunars Cilinskis and Karl Sebris.
After Latvia regained independence in 1991, the most successful Latvian filmmakers have been Janis Streics
receiving Rights of the Child Award (1994) at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival
for Cilveka berns (1991) ; Janis Putnins the winner of the Best Film and Best Screenplay at the Latvian National Film Festival in 2007 for Vogelfrei (2007) ; Varis Brasla
whose Ziemassvetku jampadracis (1996) has won Children's Film Award at Würzburg International Filmweekend, the Children's Jury Award at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival.; Aivars Freimanis a nominee for International Independent Award at the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg
; Una Celma Honorable Mention at the Uppsala International Short Film Festival
in 2001;; Viesturs Kairiss whose debut feature film Pa celam aizejot (2001) won the Jury Prize at the Raindance Film Festival
in 2002.; and Laila Pakalnina
, a winner of several film awards, a nominee for the Golden Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival
for Udens (2006).
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
took place on May 28, 1896. By 1914 all major cities in Latvia had cinemas where newsreels, documentaries and mostly foreign made short films were screened.
Two years after cinema was invented by Lumiere brothers, on 22 January 1898 Sergei Eisenstein
Sergei Eisenstein
Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein , né Eizenshtein, was a pioneering Soviet Russian film director and film theorist, often considered to be the "Father of Montage"...
was born in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, the capital of Latvia nowadays.
The first Latvian feature film Lāčplēsis directed by Aleksandris Rusteikis was released in 1930. The Fisherman's Son (1939) directed by Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nominee (1975) Vilis Lapenieks is considered a Latvian classic ending the era of filmmaking before the outbreak of WW II.
After the Soviet occupation of Latvia
Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
The Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 refers, according to the European Court of Human Rights, the Government of Latvia, the State Department of the United States of America, and the European Union, to the military occupation of the Republic of Latvia by the Soviet Union ostensibly under the...
in 1940 Vilis Lapenieks emigrated and after the end of the war continued his film-making career abroad where he has been credited internationally as cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
on more than 63 titles.
The Riga Documentary Film Studio was created in Latvia during the first year of Soviet occupation. During the first decades of Soviet rule filmmakers in Latvia were coming mostly from Soviet Russia creating propaganda films to depict the victory of Socialism.
After the death of Stalin in 1953 a more liberal period in Soviet Union's cultural policies followed. Filmmakers started to enjoy greater artistic control at the same time the Soviet State Committee for Cinematography (Goskino
Goskino
Goskino USSR is the abbreviated name for the USSR State Committee for Cinematography in the Soviet Union...
) in Moscow provided the money, state censorship body Glavlit and CPSU
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
Department of Culture had the control over releasing the movies.
The first Latvian feature films produced during the era still had to meet the ideological requirements of the Soviet regime: The Story of a Latvian Rifleman (1957) directed by Pavels Armands and Tobago Changes Its Cource (1965) directed by Aleksandras Leimais were produced.
In 1963 the Riga Film Studio completed the construction of 1890 m2
M2
-In computers and electronics:*Fast Universal Digital Computer M-2, an early Russian digital computer *Memory Stick Micro , a removable flash memory card format*Modula-2 , a computer programming language...
film studios complex.
In the 1970s Aleksandras Leimais and Gunārs Pieses became the most popular directors in Latvia making a series of historical adventure films. Put, vejini (Blow, Wind) (1973) directed by Pieses is a movie based on a story of Latvians popular author Jānis Streičs
Janis Streics
Jānis Streičs is a Latvian film director.Streičs' 1991 comedy film Cilvēka bērns was runner-up for the Chicago International Children's Film Festival Rights of the Child Award in 1994...
. Naves ena (In the Shadow of Death) (1971) is adopted from a story by Rudolfs Blaumanis
Rudolfs Blaumanis
Rūdolfs Blaumanis was a Latvian writer, journalist and playwright. He is considered one of the greatest writers in Latvian history and particularly a master of realism...
. One of the most popular films from the era is Limuzīns Jāņu Nakts Krāsā (Limousine the Color of St. John's Night) (1981) , a light parody on the Soviet system
Other most notable Latvian directors from the era are Aivars Freimanis, Rolands Kalnins
Rolands Kalninš
Rolands Kalniņš is a Latvian film director.In 1980 his film Saruna ar karalieni received Latvian Film Prize as the best documentary.-References:...
and Andris Grinbergs. Latvias top film actors during the era were Eduards Pavuls, Lilita Berzina, Gunars Cilinskis and Karl Sebris.
After Latvia regained independence in 1991, the most successful Latvian filmmakers have been Janis Streics
Janis Streics
Jānis Streičs is a Latvian film director.Streičs' 1991 comedy film Cilvēka bērns was runner-up for the Chicago International Children's Film Festival Rights of the Child Award in 1994...
receiving Rights of the Child Award (1994) at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival
Chicago International Children's Film Festival
Founded in 1975, Facets Multi-Media, located at 1517 W. Fullerton Avenue, Chicago, 60614 Facets Multi-Media is the largest conservator dedicated to the exhibition, distribution & education of foreign, independent & classic cinema...
for Cilveka berns (1991) ; Janis Putnins the winner of the Best Film and Best Screenplay at the Latvian National Film Festival in 2007 for Vogelfrei (2007) ; Varis Brasla
Varis Brasla
Varis Brasla is a Latvian film director.Since 1965 he worked in Rīgas kinostudija. Several of his films, including Emīla nedarbi and Ūdensbumba resnajam runcim were awarded with a Latvian National Film Prize award as the best film of the year.-Director filmography:Other:* Ceplis * Nāves ēnā *...
whose Ziemassvetku jampadracis (1996) has won Children's Film Award at Würzburg International Filmweekend, the Children's Jury Award at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival.; Aivars Freimanis a nominee for International Independent Award at the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg
International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg
Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival is an annual film festival held jointly by the cities of Mannheim and Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg. The festival was established in 1952. In Mannheim there are six cinema centres and 19 single cinemas.The festival presents arthouse films of...
; Una Celma Honorable Mention at the Uppsala International Short Film Festival
Uppsala International Short Film Festival
Uppsala International Short Film Festival is an annual festival hosted in Uppsala, Sweden since 1982. As of 2002 the winner of the award "Uppsala Grand Prix" and the winner of the Uppsala Film Jackdaw for Best Children's Film are eligible for an Academy Award nomination...
in 2001;; Viesturs Kairiss whose debut feature film Pa celam aizejot (2001) won the Jury Prize at the Raindance Film Festival
Raindance Film Festival
Raindance is an independent film festival and film school that operates from various cities including: London, New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest, Berlin and Brussels...
in 2002.; and Laila Pakalnina
Laila Pakalniņa
Laila Pakalnina is a Latvian film director and screenwriter. She has directed 20 films since 1991. Her film Kurpe was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.-Filmography:* Vela...
, a winner of several film awards, a nominee for the Golden Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
for Udens (2006).