Riga International Film festival was launched in 2014. Riga IFF has since developed a programme structure that paints a wholesome picture of the most daring and important European cinema today and allows for successful curation of Latvian film within a larger context.

Part of the festival’s infrastructure is the legendary cinema house Splendid Palace (member of Europa Cinemas), it hosts most of the film programme and events. The festival features several international competition programmes, headed by a multi-genre feature film competition within which an international jury chooses a title for the Riga IFF Award each year. The first international film market in Riga was held within the festival in 2016.

The festival has been developing and steadily growing its audience and in 2018 is set to widen its international context by strengthening its partnerships and friendships in the Baltic Sea region and work on a more dynamic relationship between the film industry and the public.

Three new film programmes have been added in year 2018:
— BERLINALE 2018 RIGA – Current trends in German film
— ARCHITECT’S CUT – For those who love architecture
— INGMAR BERGMAN 100 – Retrospective devoted to Ingmar Bergman’s centenary