Latvian code. Latvia today
In the year of the tenth anniversary of the short documentary series “Latvijas kods”, in five new films, the directors seek an answer to the question of what it means to be brave and make courageous decisions in today’s Latvia.
The TV premieres of the short documentary series “Latvijas kods. Latvija kodje” – from November 15th on Tuesdays at 22.00 on LTV1 and REplay.lv.
“One small party” is the story of passionate and very different people who decided to create a dance team during the Covid-19 pandemic to start learning folk dances and get to the General Latvian Song and Dance Festival 2023. In the group “WhatsApp” of old friends a joke idea is born, which turns into a serious commitment within an hour: the potential leader of the group approaches and rehearsal rooms are found in the cultural center of Ilģuciem. This summer, the new dance group “Latve” took part in the selection performances of the Song and Dance Festival. Will the dream of a dance team come true?
The young director Una Cekule has gained experience in audiovisual projects of various kinds. The short films “Duna” and “State of the family: bachelor” were nominated in the national student film competition “Lielais Kristaps”.
Aiga Leitholde: How did you get the idea to make a film about the folk dance collective “Latve”?
A Cekule: Producer Sandijs Semyonov and the author of the idea, screenwriter Inese Vaikule, invited me to this project as a young director with the task of developing the idea further. I’m not attached to folk dances, my mother used to dance them, while I’ve been dancing ballet for seven years, I also know classical dances and rock and roll. I have always been interested in the Song and Dance Festival process and the patriotism that goes with it. During the making of this film, I was able to see behind the scenes how well the dancers are trained. I was able to learn about the stress dancers experience when they perform in a show. The beginning of the collective was immortalized by the author of the idea, Inese ar easycam camera, we connected in January of this year.
Una Cekule’s short film “A little party”
Photo: still from the film
I loved that the passions of the cast members’ relationships were conveyed and addressed in a WhatsApp chat. It gave an additional dynamic texture.
It was impossible to prove it otherwise. Instead of one character, a team of 25 dancers and two more leaders had to be presented. WhatsApp has been a savior for tracking events and passions. If we had gone to rehearsal without knowing what was burning inside each of us, the process would have been much more complicated. Even the format of the 26-minute film, which we somehow exceeded by five minutes, was a challenge. We went to the expert meeting with a 45-minute film that needed to be shortened. We pooled our ideas and figured out how to dissolve textures in a WhatsApp chat, which also allows for authenticity. The collective idea was born in a “WhatsApp” chat: one morning Inese woke up with the idea that all her old friends should form a dance group together, and the idea turned into reality. I admire these people! I don’t know if I could take it. Everyone has children and families. For example, Liene and Manten have four children, and they’re both architects, busy people who still manage to find time to dance. Now they have left the team, but in any case there is a lot of work to do! I have no doubts that the collective will also dance at the Song and Dance Festival.
Una Cekule’s short film “A little party”
Photo: still from the film
The film captures a live collective mime of the participants, telling a story without words.
Each of them is a different type, upon which each of them could make their own film. One could single out Reini, who was the voice of Latvian life. His wife Baiba, on the other hand, has been dancing for a very long time. Therefore, both approach the process very seriously and with respect, while others are interested in trying. The couples’ collective attitude was torn between fun and serious as they created their own little microcosm. Being in choirs and dance groups has brought many couples together. In this case it is different: here comes a couple who are already a family.
What do you think makes these people join a dance team?
The reasons are different. For example, a couple from Jelgava, Ilze and Māris, mentioned in the film the feeling of dating, the joy of doing things together. I think this is a new goal, when you reach it you prove to yourself that you can learn something from scratch. How an idea turns into reality: this path is the main message of the film. These folks have incredible persistence!
Una Cekule’s short film “A little party”
Photo: still from the film
The song and dance festival is the big event for many.
And it is already in 2023! They have qualified in the show, they have already danced for a large audience in Mežapark. I think they will go further and dance at the big Song and Dance Festival.
The collective joy also lifts me into the clouds.
I have good memories of this shoot and we toured a lot. It was probably all 30 days in the end. It’s a pity that I really got to know the collective only towards the end. Now they are our friends.
Una Cekule’s short film “A little party”
Photo: still from the film
You are a young director, in your team – experienced professionals. How did you manage them? What was the biggest challenge?
I appreciate that Inese is both the originator of the idea and the screenwriter. The other screenwriter is Mick Romanowski, who oversaw the structure of the film. Inese was our person in the dance group: through her we got to know the inner drama, we were there to chat. If I had gone from the outside and said that I wanted to make a film about “Latvia”, I think it would not have been that easy for me. In the moments when the dancers were tired from the shoot, Inese took the blame and we got all the material we needed. I really appreciate my team. It should also be said that I had an excellent editor, Jurģis Lochmelis, who spent countless hours on the filmed material, from which five feature films could be made. Aleksandrs Okonovs is a great cameraman, Artis Lūsis – the sound!
So you valued your team’s experience and put it to good use?
Yes, you could say that. It was interesting for me to watch such a short documentary format. We also had to take into account the restrictive format: we were making a television film, not a classic documentary cinema, where you can immerse yourself in poetry. The story had to be told compactly, but artistically – that was the greatest experience for me.
Una Cekule’s short film “A little party”
Photo: still from the film
I also have to ask about your father, film producer Uldi Cekuli…
(smiling) I’m already thinking, will there be such a question or not.
How did the fact that your father is closely linked to cinema influence your choice to become a director?
This fact had an impact, but it is still my choice. All my childhood he was away filming, I waited for him at home from Bolivia, Lapland and other parts of the world. My conditional kindergarten was “Environmental Film Studio”, where I ran, climbed on tapes. Throughout all of this, my first thought in high school was, no, I’m not going to the movies. In the end, however, I found myself at the Latvian Academy of Culture and realized that cinema is what I know and cannot do without.
Cinema is a world very dear to me, where I want to be.
My father was not happy because cinema is a physically, emotionally and financially difficult choice. Now I feel that he has started to appreciate my choice. On the other hand, I think it’s nice to be able to connect childhood memories and now create new experiences.
A Cekule
Photo: Aleksandrs Okonovs
Could you make a film with your father?
I think I could. The only thing is, he’s my biggest critic. I also sent him this film in an early version, he had a lot to say and it’s fantastic. He knows how to get me to the point where I understand: There’s no going back, I can only fix what I started, and that’s what happened. I also consulted with Dāvis Sīmani, my teacher, who gave me great advice. And everything went, intertwined as it should. I really appreciate the way my father works as a producer. If we get together, I’d like to work on a film with him.
You yourself have gained various experiences in the field of cinema. Have you also been in the position of an operator?
I filmed my first works, even some concerts. However, I want to trust the cameraman, who comes with his contribution, and not look for the shots myself.
I think the most important thing in the film is the team. If you are alone, there may come a time when you can no longer look at work from the outside.
That’s why I really appreciate having a cinematographer and an editor with whom we can watch from the sidelines to see how it works or doesn’t work, and then something happens. Without the discussion, you’re alone: You would have made an hour-and-a-half movie out of the footage. In general, we think that we should continue to follow the progress of “Latves” – wait for the performance of the collective at the Song and Dance Festival, thereby making the right point.
A series on the lives of folk dancers would be a must see!
Maybe, but then you need drama there.
