PHOTO: Look - that's how people gathered at the opening of "Kristaps the Great"

During the week of the festival, there will be an opportunity to watch the films nominated for the award, see the premieres of new films, student films, children’s films, meet with film authors and participate in creative workshops.

On the opening day, “Splendid Palace” also hosted a screening dedicated to the winners of lifetime awards Abrams Kleckins and Mikhail Savisko. In the 1970s, both greats of the film industry formulated the wave of Latvian documentary cinema newly established in the 1960s – the Riga School of Poetic Documentary Film.

Local film festival “Kristaps the Great” opened

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Today, within the framework of “Big Kristaps”, the documentary film “Lustrum” by director Gints Grūbe will be premiered, which was made in collaboration with the co-author of the script Sanita Jembergs and tells about check methods and former KGB agents in Latvia.

Also on Thursday, Cafe Film Noir will host the opening of the book “Lost Cinemas”, which will be followed by a screening of the documentary “Bellaria – While We Are Alive!” By the German director Douglas Wolfsperger.

On November 9, those interested are invited to the premiere of the debut film “Eva” by director Kristians Riekstins, which was nominated in the “Best Short Film” competition in the “Big Kristaps” competition.

For those interested in Hollywood cinema – “Cafe Film Noir” on Friday invites film critic Dita Rietuma to a conversation with Latvian-born Hollywood actress Rutanju Old, a representative of the “Big Kristaps” international jury.

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PHOTO REPORTING: as a filmmaker, the “Big Kristaps” awards were shared and celebrated

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Sabine Timoteo and Kaspars Znotins receive the “Great Kristaps”

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The “Great Kristaps” program dedicated to children and families will take place on November 10 and November 11. Young viewers with their parents, grandparents or friends will be able to watch the movies “Paradise 89”, “Bille”, “Continuation” and others in two morning screenings, as well as participate in creative workshops before the films.

On Lāčplēsis Day, November 11, Ludmila Ikere’s documentary “100 Years of Existence in the Wind” about 16 Latvian peers, their harsh experience of 100 and more years of life, ability to overcome difficulties, their memory stories, views on the present and wishes for Latvia’s future will premiere.

Also on November 11, you will be able to watch six “Latvian Code” films, including Armands Zacs ‘film “Therapy” about a 30-year-old man’s efforts to bring about radical change in his life, Tomas Upītis’ “Ancestor” – a tribute to all children who have grown up without parents and Liene Laviņa-Kalnaella’s “Nature Reserve – Zilaiskalns” about the interaction of public curiosity and cultural history, as well as other films.

On the same day, a retrospective of the Riga Poetic Documentary Film School and an out-of-competition premiere of “Spertal’s Caprico” will take place – a message about Arvīds Spertāls’ (1897-1961) life, contribution to Latvian culture, high ideals in art and theater, and historical events that influenced his life.

The closing of Kristaps the Great and the award ceremony will take place on Monday, November 12, at the Splendid Palace cinema. Viewers will have the opportunity to watch it in person, as well as live on Latvian Television.

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“Bille”, “With Foam on the Lips”, “Homo novus”, “Foundation for Criminal Excellence” and “Father’s Night” were nominated for the “Best Kristaps” award in the “Best Feature Film” category. In total, 58 films were nominated in several categories.

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The winners of “Kristaps the Great” will be determined by an international jury that will work during the festival. The award was founded in 1977, but since 2014 it has been presented again every year.

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Last year, Viesturs Kairiss’s “Chronicle of Melania” was recognized as the best feature film, and Andrejs Verhoustinsks’ film “Lidija” won the award for the best documentary short film. Janson’s “Bize and Neglect”.