LATVIAN FILMS FOR LATVIA’S CENTENARY CONTENT INTRODUCTION 5 DITA RIETUMA 7 THE PUBLICITY PHOTO OF THE LatVIAN FILMS FOR LatVIA’S CENTENARY PROGRAMME FILMS 8 GRANDPA MORE DANGEROUS THAN A COMPUTER 10 WOUNDED RIDER 12 EIGHT STARS 14 PARADISE’89 16 TO BE CONTINUED 18 BILLE 20 BRIDGES OF TIME 22 MERIJA’S JOURNEY 24 THE BALTIC TRIBES 26 LUSTRUM 28 KURTS FRIDRIHSONS 30 HOMO NOVUS 32 JACOB, MIMMI AND THE TALKING DOGS 34 THE MOVER 36 BEFORE THE DAY BREAKS 38 1906 atvia celebrates its was occupied by the USSR and the growing up full of worries, youthful centenary in 2018 – both Republic of Latvia only regained its courage and respected wisdom... by reviewing the most independence on 4 May 1990. Film is a unique medium: it spectacular events in its The Latvian film industry has allows one to stop time, it allows past, while taking pride been working on its gift for Latvia’s one to create and reconstruct the Lin the people who contribute to its centenary for quite a few years and events of the past, it allows us to present. now it’s ready – 16 full-length films become more knowledgeable, The Republic of Latvia was for a wide range of audiences. The wiser and worldly. Films have proclaimed on 18 November first three have already reached long lives, and the films that are 1918. Although the formation of their viewers in 2017; the rest will created for Latvia’s centenary will a new state was full of challenges, celebrate their premieres one after have a longer lifespan than the a lot was achieved in a short time another in 2018 – both at home and anniversary of our state. However, and Latvia rapidly progressed at international festivals. for each film to live both today alongside the other countries in We hope and believe that and in the future, it needs an Europe. However, in 1940 Latvia everyone will be able to find one audience. We believe that the or more stories amongst these professional work invested in the 16 films that tell them what they Centenary Programme, the creative want to know about Latvia, its inspiration and the energy of the ancient and more recent history, its authors of the films will echo and today and also tomorrow. Because speak to the viewers both in the in the film collection there are cities and in the furthest Latvian fighters and thinkers, grandfathers towns and homesteads, and and grandchildren, painters and throughout the whole wide world. riflemen, museum treasures Many happy returns, Latvia! and KGB archives, mummers and carousels, monuments and bunkers, the last pagans and the first poets, Rīga’s suburbs and DITA RIETUMA, Latvia’s borderland. There is also National Film Centre of Latvia 5 IN THIS “FAMILY PHoto” LatVIAN FILMS FOR LatVIA’S CENTENARY PROGRAMME IS REPRESENTED BY: 1st row from the left: Akvelīna Līvmane – Granny, Grandpa More Dangerous than a Computer A drawing by Kurts Fridrihsons – Kurts Fridrihsons Kristīne Želve – director Mērija’s Journey Lidija Doroņina-Lasmane – the protagonist Lustrum Marta Ģertrūde Auzāne – Maija Paradise’89 Ivars Seleckis – director To Be Continued and protagonist Bridges of Time Līva Ločmele – Laurēns Paradise’89 2nd row from the left: Daughter of the Sun – Before the Day Breaks Elīna Vāne – Bille’s mother Bille Imants Strads – Kārlis Zāle Wounded Rider Dāvis Sīmanis – director The Mover Evelīna Ozola – Linda Paradise’89 Magda Lote Auziņa – Paula Paradise’89 Jacob – Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs 3rd row from the left: Raitis and Lauris Ābeles – directors The Baltic Tribes Andris Keišs – Painter Salutaur, Homo Novus Askolds Saulītis – director of Eight Stars Kaspars Dumburs – social democrat fighter Svilpe, 1906 Photo: Gatis Rozenfelds GRANDPA MORE DANGEROUS THAN A COMPUTER VECTēvs, KAS bīstamāKS PAR datORU FICTION Feature 94 miN | COLOUR | PREMIERE: 17 AUGUST 2017 film for the whole family. Eight-year-old Oscars’ sum- of-work teacher, because the number of children in the town mer holiday in the country begins as a never-ending has decreased and the municipality deputy, a former grand- hassle with his grandpa, which eventually transforms ma’s student Modrītis, has promptly sold the school. Instead A into a friendship between two menfolk, who manage Modrītis offers her a tempting job that leads Oskars to a series to save grandma from a scam planned by her former student. of adventures: teaching grandma to rap, soaking a billy-goat’s Oskars’ parents “swap” his computer for his grandfather – coat with his friend Olga’s French perfume etc. Grandpa and in order to protect the child from the dangerous influence of his grandson’s battle against the sleazy deputy Modrītis makes the internet. Oskars’ visit with his grandpa gets off to a bad them forget their own differences. start – old Kode makes him do “men’s work” and refuses to When the holidays at grandpa’s house end, Oskars discov- buy him the sneakers his heart desires. His grandma is an out- ers that life without lies and computer can bring joy! Director Varis Brasla Screenwriter Alvis Lapiņš VARIS BRASLA Cinematographer Uldis Jancis Production Designer Mārtiņš Milbrets n A director with vast experience in filmmaking, Varis Brasla got a Costume Designer Jurate Silakaktiņa Diploma in Dramatic Theatre and Film Directing in 1962. Four of Make-up Artist Sarmīte Balode Brasla’s fiction features have received the main award of the Lielais Sound Director Anrijs Krenbergs Kristaps National Film Festival. The director has also shot a number Composer Emīls Zilberts of TV documentaries, a 28-episode educational series for television Editor Māris Bērziņš (1997-2001), and has directed numerous theatre performances. Of the 13 fiction fea- Main Cast Markuss Jānis Eglītis, tures directed by Brasla, three have established his reputation as a talented director of Mārtiņš Vilsons, Akvelīna Līvmane, children’s movies. The films have also received a number of prizes at international film Eva Ozola, Mārtiņš Meiers, festivals, including CIFEJ prize at LUCAS International festival for Young Film Lovers Uldis Dumpis, Lauris Dzelzītis, and The Best Feature at Taiwan International Children’s Film Festival for Christmas Alise Polačenko, Inese Pudža, Huddle and Children’s Jury Prize at Chicago International Children’s Film Festival for Vizma Kalme Waterbomb for the Fat Tomcat among others. Producer Gatis Upmalis Production Company Studio F.O.R.M.A. Studio F.O.R.M.A. n The film production company Studio F.O.R.M.A. was founded in 1993 with the aim of making quality feature films not only for Latvian but also foreign audiences. The production company has also created more than ten documentaries. Studio F.O.R.M.A. has produced seven fiction feature films: a number of these are co-produc- Studio F.O.R.M.A. tions, particularly with Estonian colleagues; three films are aimed at family audiences Šmerļa iela 3 and their main characters are children. By winning the approval of their target audi- Riga, LV1006, Latvia ences, a number of these fiction features have become box office hits in Latvia. [email protected] www.studioforma.lv www.facebook.com/vectevsbistams 8 n Those who know and love films by Varis Brasla do not have Brasla, easily found his way in the forest and knew how to iden- to guess where in Latvia his new film is located – in Kuldīga – tify the edible mushrooms... a charming town in Kurzeme, in the Western part of Latvia, Three of the best films by Varis Brasla have been filmed in dating back to the 13th century. It turns out that the director is Kuldīga – Emīla nedarbi (Naughty Emil, 1985), Ūdensbumba connected to this part of Latvia through family ties. Of course, resnajam runcim (Waterbomb for the Fat Tomcat, 2004) and the this is not the main reason for him to choose to work in Kuldī- most recent: Vectēvs, kas bīstamāks par datoru. ga – the film location does not follow any routine or well-trod- The director calls Kuldīga the lucky town, because it es- den paths – no, Brasla continues to find something surprising caped bombing in the WW2, which means many untouched and beautiful around every corner. This is why at least six of his historical details have been preserved there – the feel of vari- films are associated in one way or another with the town. ous eras in Italianesque courtyards, picturesque wooden hous- Brasla experienced filming in this “pearl” of Kurzeme al- es, the landscape decorated by a network of laneways, not to ready in the last century – for example, in 1972, when he was the mention the imposing brick bridge and the Venta Rapid – the second director in Rolands Kalniņš’ film Ceplis (The Ceplis Af- widest waterfall in Europe. Of course, one can also understand fair), in which the gun fight and the brick making process were the locals who say – the old water pump is romantic in summer, filmed in the Kuldīga region. Also, another masterpiece of Lat- but when it freezes over in winter and you have to carry two vian film heritage – the film Ezera sonāte (Lake Sonata, 1976), buckets up the stairs to the second floor... Nevertheless, Brasla for which Varis Brasla was the director together with Gunārs knows that the 21st century is no stranger to Kuldīga, and is Cilinskis, was filmed at various locations near Kuldīga. Brasla lucky that there is a sensible city council attuned to preserva- remembers the wonderful mushrooming in forests stretching tion, which will not allow asphalt to be laid on top of ancient from Kuldīga to Dundaga from the filming of Tereona galva cobblestones for cars to have a smoother ride. (The Tereon’s Head, 1982).