Latvia participates in the film market / Article

The 74th Cannes International Film Festival is taking place in France until 17 July. In addition to the prestigious film competition, which leads to the famous red stairs, there are other significant activities in the industry. Latvian film representatives, producers, directors and film critics have gone to the festival to take part in film industry events and the film market. The Latvian Film Pavilion in Cannes has acquired a new visual look and fragments of upcoming Latvian films can be seen on the screens, which attract international interest.

Every film director in the world dreams of Cannes Castle, but in reality it all starts in the film market. And this year in Cannes, everyone looking from the Festival Palace over the red stairs, even behind the heads of photographers, could not fail to notice the fluttering Latvian and Lithuanian flags above the white pavilion domes. The Latvian stand has also acquired a new visual design – polished amber alloys and cinema.

The head of the National Film Center Dita Rietuma emphasizes: “This is a good year to establish a normal dialogue with partners, because it must be said that the Cannes Film Festival has always stood out with insane rhythm, lack of time and lack of time, exceptional year in this area as well. “

Especially for the Cannes film market, the National Film Center has compiled and published the latest and upcoming catalog of Latvian films until 2023. The book is thick and hopeful, and international partners are already making common plans.

Producer of the Riga Film Studio Romans Morozovs revealed: “We have come to Cannes to present several films, and one of the most interesting is” Mother’s Milk “, as many already know.”

“I am interested not only in Latvian films, but to a large extent in European films that can travel to world film festivals outside the national territory of these films,” emphasized film distributor Andreas Rotbauer from Germany.

The international production platform in Cannes includes representatives of all the Baltic countries – from Latvia’s Aija Bērziņa (“Tasse Film”) and Gints Grūbe (“Mistrus Media”), who arrived in Cannes with director Dāvis Sīmanis about Latvian-born, internationally recognized silent film actress Marija Leiko.

“It’s a very wide story through this woman’s prism, and we can already see that there is a lot of interest from international producers,” Simon said.

The first film “Sacrifice” by director Uģis Olte was presented in the category of debut films in Cannes, so to speak, “to lead nations”. “First of all, if you are interested in seeing live people, holding a real poster in your hand, we are going inside with a feature film to try to fight,” said Uldis Cekulis, the producer of the Environmental Film Studio, about his feelings in Cannes.

The benefits of the festival are not a one-day issue, but an investment in the future of cinema. The red ladder of Cannes is waiting for us, hopefully we will have something to offer next year.

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