We know our dates! Even though RIGA IFF 2018 is still fresh in our memories and barely saved on our hard drives, we can proudly share the dates for the next one to come! RIGA IFF 2019 will take place from October 17 – 27! Save the dates and catch up with the latest updates on our social media channels - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! https://youtu.be/ocF8Qc8FApg

On Saturday the 27th of October, Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF) announced this year's winners, presenting the 2018 Best Film Award from the FEATURE FILM COMPETITION programme to Natalia Meshchaninova's Core of the World - a film that according to the international jury boasts complete vision, exceptional execution and nuanced storytelling. The Special Mention for “exceptional cinematography, whimsical storytelling and moving sound design” was given to the Norwegian director Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen's feature, Valley of Shadows. The FEATURE FILM COMPETITION comprises films from the Baltic Sea region. The award is an eight-part sculpture that has been designed in cooperation with artist Ervins Broks which interprets the festival’s symbol as one of collaboration in filmmaking, and also an emblem of the city of Riga - a rooster. The award along with a 2000€ cash prize is made possible with the support of the festival's partner, BALTA. This year, the jury members were Rainer Sarnet, the winner of the 2017 RIGA IFF Best Film Award, Barbora Ligasova, the representative of the Czech film centre, Dorota Lech, Toronto International Film Festival programmer, Anna Motola, Head of the Love and Anarchy Helsinki International Film Festival as well as film producer Roberts Vinovskis. FIPRESCI Latvian Section Jury gave their award to director Jesper Ganslandt's feature film Jimmie, the story of 4-year-old Jimmie and “the chaos he is witness to, characterised by emotional close-up shots and non-linear narrative”. The RIGA IFF Youth Jury also announced their picks on Saturday, granting the Youth Matters award to Anna's War by Russian director Aleksey Fedorchenko. The members of the festival’s Youth Jury this year were Alberts Roze, Elza Marta Ruža, Pauls Rubens and Anete Dance. The festival venue partner's award - Splendid Palace People's Choice - went to 7 Billion Years Before the End of the World, the debut feature from Latvian director Jānis Ābele, while the Creamcredit Special Award - a monetary award for a film in the RIGA IFF HOME MADE programme, was granted to To Be Continued -  a documentary by Ivars Seleckis, with the aim of supporting the making of the film's sequel. The film was previously also selected as the Latvian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. The main award of the international competition within the framework of the festival’s short film, experimental cinema and music video programme SHORT RIGA was awarded to Government House by Weiser Herwig. The international jury unanimously agreed: “The award deserved to be given to this socially motivated film that uses genre stylemes in a very peculiar and artistic way, always avoiding cliches. For being a socially motivated abstract horror film blending together performance art with a spooky sound design and a very accurate and extreme research on the mise en scène through an hypnotic light setting, the award goes to a picture that, in our opinion, is all what an experimental film should be, really experimental.” There were also three Special Mentions - The Linden tree (dir. Arkesh Ajay) in the Live Action, Egg (dir. Martina Scarpelli) in the Animation and All Inclusive (dir. Corina Schwingruber Ilic) in the Documentary category. The members of the SHORT RIGA International Jury were Per Fikse, the director of Minimalen Short Film Festival in Trondheim, Norway, Chintis Lundgren, animator and Chintis Lundgreni Animatsioonistuudio co-founder, Jānis Putniņš, director of the National Film School of the Latvian Academy of Culture, Ieva Viese-Vigula, Latvian writer and film critic as well as Enrico Vannucci, Short film advisor for the Venice and Quebec City Film Festivals. The SHORT RIGA Baltic Music Video Competition (BMV) award was given to Zane Zelmene's music video Space Hammer made for the band Kodek. According to the jury, “Zane Zelmene's visceral, romantic portrayal of Latvia's mystical Pokaini forest, shot in black-and-white with frenetic lightning effects fits the modular techno Kodek (real name Raivo Vainovskis) beautifully. The location is a superb choice - with much of Europe's native forest demolished it's a stark reminder of how vital and beautiful these places are and why we should keep them. It also serves to enhance the appeal of Kodek, and Zelmene stands out as a promising visual artist in her own right.” The two Special Mention prizes went to Ir baigi apjaust, ka esi šeit directed by Pēteris Tenisons for the Latvian musician Imants Daksis and All About Love, directed by Pijus Vėberis for the band Daddy Was A Milkman. The BMV Jury members were Jessica Manstetten, curator of the MuVi Prize competition programme and MuVi International programme at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, musician Juris Simanovičs, audiovisual media artist, VJ INA VARE, teacher of the Advertising Design programme at the Riga School of Design and Art, Inese Vēriņa-Lubiņa, editor of the music webzine Gigwise, Cai Trefor and Intsikurmu producer Kristine Kebbinau. The RIGA IFF Children's Jury gave the Kids Jury Award prize to Christian Lo's Los Bando. When asked to back her choice, 11-year-old jury member Krista says: “I want to thank the Norwegian film-making crew for making a film as nice as Los Bando, a film filled with music, that takes you on a journey throughout the whole of Norway. The film inspired me to have the courage to dream and to not be afraid to make those dreams come true. After watching Los Bando, I realized that it takes certain skills to develop a friendship and that you always have to be honest with your friends, because if not with them, then who else?” The festival has also acquired rights for the film's theatrical release in Latvia. This year’s Children's Jury members were Arvena Lote Kravčenko, Jēkabs Blanks, Nils Klaverī, Krista Kušķe, Linda Saviča, Žanete Blanka, Ieva Bille, Kate Štāla. The fifth edition of RIGA IFF is taking place from October 18 - 31. The festival consists of twelve film programmes, diverse industry events and a selection of thought provoking public discussions. The RIGA IFF is supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the European Commission’s programme Creative Europe – MEDIA, the National Film Centre of Latvia, and the Riga City Council.  

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RIGA IFF pirmā nedēļa tūdaļ noslēgusies, bet festivāls vēl turpinās! Šonedēļ Baltijas pirmizrādi RIGA IFF piedzīvoja režisora Vitālija Manska dokumentālā filma “Putina liecinieki”. Filma ir detalizēts Krievijas prezidenta un to cilvēku portretējums, kuri nodrošināja viņa varu, – izmantoti gan Mansku ģimenes privātā arhīva video, gan kino materiāli, kas uzņemti 20. un 21. gadsimta mijā, kad veidojās pašreizējā Krievijas varas elite. Ar mākslinieces un animācijas režisores Lizetes Upītes debijas filmu “Nakts Pastaigas” tika atklāta arī festivāla programma SHORT RIGA. Šis bija lielisks piemērs tam, ka arī 6 minūšu filma spēj pulcēt pilnu kinozāli. Arī festivāla žūrija ieradusies pilnā sastāvā un sākusi darbu pie festivāla starptautiskās pilnmetrāžas filmu konkursa programmas FEATURE FILM COMPETITION izvērtēšanas. Šajā programmā tiks izrādītas un izvērtētas 10 filmas no Baltijas jūras reģiona, tostarp arī Krievijas nacionālā kino festivāla Sočos "Kinotavr" galvenās balvas ieguvēja, aizkustinošā drāma “Pasaules sirds”, pašmāju režisora Jāņa Ābeles pilnmetrāžas filma “7 miljardi gadu pirms pasaules gala”, kas ceturtdien festivālā piedzīvoja arī savu pirmizrādi, kā arī Dānijā populāro jauniešu pieaugšanas filmu “Team Hurricane”. Programmas pēdējā filma “Skābes mežs” skatāma vēl sestdien. https://youtu.be/9D9Z37uqihA Lai arī festivāls norit jau vairāk kā nedēļu, gandrīz tikpat daudz notikumu vēl priekšā. Nupat savus pirmos seansus piedzīvo POPCORN VENUS, BERLINALE 2018 RIGA un BEAST programmas. Svētdien, 28. oktobrī tiks atklāta INGMAR BERGMAN 100 filmu programma, kas veltīta pasaulslavēnā režisora simtgadei. Rīgas Starptautiskais kino festivāls norisinās no 18. līdz 31. oktobrim kinoteātros Splendid Palace, KSuns, Kino Bize un Latvijas Nacionālajā bibliotēkā. Festivālā tiek izrādīti vairāk nekā 100 filmu seansi 12 programmās, ko papildina lekcijas, diskusijas un citi pasākumi.

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Jau pirmajā nedēļas nogalē Splendid zāles piepildīja ģimeniska noskaņa, izrādot jaunākajiem kino mīļotājiem KIDS WEEKEND programmu - bērnu un jauniešu filmas. Savukārt arhitektūras nozares pārstāvji svētdien, Latvijas Nacionālajā bibliotēkā atklāja arhitektūras filmu programmu ARCHITECT'S CUT ar filmu “Pilsone Džeina: cīņa par pilsētu”. Šajās dienās norisinājies arī pirmais RIGA IFF hakatons - studenti 24 stundu garā maratonā strādāja pie izglītojoša VR produkta prototipa radīšanas. Apsveicam komandu NEWTON ar galvenās balvas “Grand Prix” iegūšanu! RIGA IFF ir tikai pusē un šī nedēļa sola vēl daudz pārsteigumu. No 24. līdz. 26. oktobrim būs iespēja apmeklēt festivāla īsfilmu konkursa programmu SHORT RIGA COMPETITION, izbaudot 35 iedvesmojošus un orģinālus stāstus no visas pasaules. https://youtu.be/M6WwPi38obU Ceturtdien, 25. oktobrī tiks atklāta programma POPCORN VENUS ar izcilās režisores Dorotijas Ārzneres darbu “Līgava Sarkanā”; tajā pašā dienā mūzikas mīļotāji tiks aicināti uz ikgadējo BALTIC MUSIC VIDEO konkursa skati ar dalībnieku un žūrijas piedalīšanos. Rīgas Starptautiskais kino festivāls norisinās no 18. līdz 31. oktobrim kinoteātros Splendid Palace, KSuns, Kino Bize un Latvijas Nacionālajā bibliotēkā. Festivālā tiek izrādīti vairāk nekā 100 filmu seansi 12 programmās, ko papildina lekcijas, diskusijas un citi pasākumi.

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18. oktobrī atklāts piektais Rīgas Starptautiskais kino festivāls (RIGA IFF) ar filmas “Tēvs Nakts” īpašo seansu un svinīgu pasākumu, kura laikā viesiem bija iespēja tikties ar filmas veidotājiem un galvenajiem aktieriem. Šogad RIGA IFF norisināsies no 18. līdz 31. oktobrim kinoteātros Splendid Palace, Kino Bize, K Suns, Latvijas Nacionālajā Bibliotekā, kā arī Cafe Film Noir. Festivālā tiks izrādītas vairāk nekā 180 filmas 12 tematiskajās programmās un konkursu skatēs, kas ietvers gan pilnmetrāžas spēlfilmas un dokumentālās filmas, gan īsfilmas, animāciju un eksperimentālo kino. Festivāla pirmā nedēļas nogale ir veltīta ģimenēm un bērniem. Programmas KIDS WEEKEND ietvaros, kinoteātrī Splendid Palace visas dienas garumā būs skatāmi jaunākie bērnu filmu seansi un darbosies rotaļu zona. 21. oktobra rītā būs skatāma animācijas īsfilmu izlase pašiem jaunākajiem – pirmsskolas vecuma skatītājiem. Sekojot pērn iedibinātajai tradīcijai, to veido festivāla vieskurators, un šogad tā ir dzejniece un bērnu grāmatu autore Inese Zandere. https://youtu.be/catuiz7WsTU RIGA IFF gaidāmas arī trīs jaunas filmu programmas – BERLINALE 2018 RIGA, kuras ietvaros būs skatāma Vācijas spilgtāko filmu izlase, arhitektūras filmu programma ARCHITECT'S CUT, kā arī kino leģendai Ingmaram Bergmanam veltītā – INGMAR BERGMAN 100. Splendid Palace visa festivāla garumā norisināsies arī slavenajam kino meistaram veltīta izstāde. Vairāk informācijas par festivālu programmu atrodama festivāla mājas lapā: rigaiff.lv

The interest of audiences, directors and film producers in films dedicated to architecture and architects has considerably grown in recent years. New architecture-themed festivals and film days are on the rise. The RIGA IFF also recognises the strong ties between cinema and architecture by introducing a new programme – ARCHITECT’S CUT. The five films of the programme will be screened in Ziedonis’ Hall of the National Library of Latvia from 21 to 26 October. The guest curator of the programme is Ieva Zībārte – the head of the Exhibition Centre of the National Library, an architect and an author of books and articles on architecture, design and popular culture. She says, ‘Architecture can’t always be described and captured through photography, therefore cinema serves as a tool to bring out the drama of architecture and architect ever more often. And also, an architect as such is interesting both as a hero and anti-hero. Just like a conversation of architecture professionals, the film programme also touches on the issues of contemporary architecture as well as the legacy of the 20th modernism.’ ‘Citizen Jane: Battle for the City’ by Matt Tyrnauer will open the ARCHITECT’S CUT on Sunday, 21 October at 7.00 p. m. It is a story of journalist and writer Jane Jacobs who wanted to preserve the good old New York City during 1960s and therefore confronted politically and financially influential city developers, serving as an inspiration for the upcoming generation of urban environment activists all over the world. On Monday, 22 October, ‘Big Time’ – a film on the creative and private life of the prominent contemporary Danish architect Bjarke Ingels will be screened. His company was entrusted with designing and building one of the skyscrapers on the site of Twin Towers, destroyed during the 9/11 attacks in NYC. The film’s director and the architect’s friend, Kaspar Astrup Schrøder, hopes that this story will inspire and motivate people to think what kind of life every one of us wants to live. On Tuesday, 23 October, there will be a double screening of ‘Bloki’ by Konrad Królikowski, an emotional story on the communist legacy – complexes of blocks of flats in Poland, and ‘The Disappearance of Robin Hood’ by Klearjos Eduardo Papanicolaou - a research on ideas and plans behind the underappreciated and now demolished Robin Hood Gardens – a social housing complex in London. The ARCHITECT’S CUT will close on Friday, 26 October with ‘Life and Death of an Architect’ by Miguel Eek about the destiny of the renowned Spanish architect José Ferragut. He fought against the corruption and uncontrolled development of the Mediterranean coast and got enemies by politics and developers. His murder investigation was closed for lack of evidence. The Riga International Film Festival will take place from October 18 – 31. Its screening venues will be cinemas ‘Splendid Palace’, ‘KSuns’ and ‘Kino Bize’, as well as the National Library of Latvia. The audience will be presented with more than 100 films in 12 programmes, diverse industry events, and a range of thought provoking public discussions. The RIGA IFF is supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the European Commission’s programme ‘Creative Europe – MEDIA’, the National Film Centre of Latvia, and the Riga City Council.