Riga International Film Festival – Lithuanians fight for the title of the best

Today begins the 7th Riga International Film Festival. Due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic the festival is organised in a hybrid manner and will also present the newest Lithuanian filmmakers’ films: they will compete in competition programmes, will invite viewers to their premieres.

Film director – Jurgis Matulevičius – will be receiving a lot of attention this year, two of his films will be presented in the competition programmes. In the main programme, where full feature films created in the Baltic and the Northern region are presented, amongst the eight films – is J. Matulevičius’ directing debut Isaac (2019). Matulevičius and Paulius Aničas‘ short documentary The Golden Flask (2020) will be competing in the short film competition programme Short Riga.

In the film premiere programme Home Made Premieres amongst four films presented – there are three Lithuanian creations. The audiences of the festival will be able to see Šarūnas Bartas’ At Dusk (2019), Tomas Vengris’ debut Motherland (2019) and the latest Ignas Jonynas’ film Invisible (2019).

In the special Short Riga: Test Screening session two Lithuanian directors’ short film projects: a short-animated-film Mora Mora (dir. Jurga Šeduikytė, Robertas Nevecka, prod. Giedrė Burokaitė) and a short documentary Good Evening (dir. Justė Michailinaitė, prod. Justė Michailinaitė, Kęstutis Drazdauskas), will be presented to an international expert group.

For the second year in the row, the festival’s forum event Baltic Animation Meet-Up dedicated to the film industry’s professionals’ discussion on the challenges of animated film industry and the latest projects, amongst numerous animation professionals from the Baltic region more than 20 Lithuanians will participate.

During the Riga International Film Festival, the Baltic Music Video Competition will also be taking place, where directors Titas Sūdžius with Solo Ansamblis’ music video Dansingas, Ignė Narbutaitė with Kabloonak’s music video Bruises on Her Legs, and Pijus Vėberis with Daddy Was a Milkman’s music video Liar, will be competing for the best title.

The Riga International Film Festival was established in 2014 and quickly became one of the most important cultural events in Latvia. It is a celebration of film, presenting international film industry with contemporary Baltic and Northern region’s works, while the local audiences are introduced to the latest world film experiences.