PHOTO: people say goodbye to director Askolds Saulītis

The director passed away suddenly at the age of 54.

His departure to the public was unexpected, but Askold himself suddenly turned to his memories of his life a month before his death, transferring them to his Facebook profile day by day. Among other things, they wondered whether they would like to be immortal, reports the magazine “Kas Jauns”.

Since February 27, there has been a silence in his time zone, which was strange simply because Askold had written every day, even several times a day… The cause of death was transferred among colleagues along with the message of mourning, revealing that the director after a long divorce lived alone. When friends have not been able to call for some time, it is assumed that Askold has “entered himself”, as it used to happen periodically. The light in the apartment window shone, so the door was broken and Askold was found dead behind it. It is estimated that the cause of death was a heart attack. “I remember once in a conversation Askold mentioned that he would not have a pension, it is clear. I hope he didn’t think of this at the time, “Oleg Alexeyev thought about how they worked together on several films.” “The annoying household regime introduces new habits, new thoughts and reflections. In recent days, I have discovered an interesting topic in my senses – video notes of Russian tourist trips about Riga and Latvia, ”Askold wrote on February 21, saying that due to gathering restrictions, he had changed the script of the upcoming film, canceling, for example, Jewish weddings. “Like Polish, Russian, Lithuanian and German parties. We can no longer wait, I have already extended the date of handing over the film three times, ”Saulītis was dissatisfied.

In the autumn of this year, Askolds intended to complete the feature film “Under One Flag”. In the center of the story, the director and the screenwriter Daina Ivana have placed a historical figure, a little Jewish boy Kopel Gorelik – the youngest soldier in the Latvian Army in the War of Independence, who was inspired by the most popular boys’ book “The Last Mohican” and went on an adventure. all kinds of interesting characters ”. On January 4, Askold wrote on Facebook’s Facebook profile: “A lot of work – the year and a half of the War of Independence (1918-1920) must be told in 80 minutes, so that the viewer not only has more or less clear events, but also draws an emotional line.” “On February 3, he wrote to send views of the Karosta fortification, because filming of the storm by the sea is planned. I liked the views, the place was chosen, it was a good sign – it will become beautiful. Did Askold film the storm, I forgot to ask, but at the speed of the storm, Askold took off. Much too fast, ”writes Aigars Prūsis from Liepāja.

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According to the National Film Center, Saulītis was born on June 5, 1966 in Liepāja, studied at Liepāja Secondary School No. 5 (1972-1984), Department of Pedagogy at Liepāja Secondary School of Applied Arts (1984-1986). In 1987 he decided to work in a Riga film studio, went to Riga and became an assistant in Aivars Freimanis ‘feature film “Life” (1989), was an administrator in Arvīds Krievs’ feature film “Ieva’s Paradise Garden” (1990), and as an amateur filmmaker he started making experimental feature films. – “XXX” (1989) received the Grand Prix at the Baltic Independent Film Festival, but “Opera” (1991) was awarded at the Gdansk Film Festival (Poland).

In 1990, Askolds Saulītis started working as an assistant director, director and cameraman in the film studio “Kaupo”, making commercials (“Burda Moden”, Latvian Farmers’ Union, etc.). In 1993, together with the cameraman Uldis Jancis, he made his first film on 35mm tape – a documentary about Riga’s communal apartments “Who Lives in the Communal Area” (author of the text – documentary film classic Aivars Freimanis).

In the 1990s, he worked as a director and cameraman on various Latvian televisions, and in the studio “Kaupo” he also made a documentary about the artist Aija Zariņš – “The Abduction of Europe” (1998, screenplay by Helena Demakova). He has also worked in the film studio “FORMA”, making the documentary “Red and Brown” (diploma thesis, 1999) and the short story “Tristan and Izolde” in the Latvian and Estonian co-production feature film “Three Stories about…” (1999), also in the film studio “Rija”, shooting the animated film Clara & Rubinstein (1999).

In 1996 he started studying at the Latvian Academy of Culture and in 2000 he obtained a bachelor’s degree in TV directing, after his studies he also supplemented the Baltic Media Center international film co-production courses in Bornholm, Denmark (2000), New York University professor Boris Frumin’s lecture courses in Riga ( 2002-2003, 2005) etc. In 2002 he worked in the jury of the international documentary film festival “Cinarchea” (Germany).

Founded the film studio “Subjektiv Filma” in 2000, the first documentary made in the studio was “Source of Youth” (2001), and it brought Askold Saulitis the second National Film Festival Grand Kristaps Award as the best documentary film director – the first was awarded the year previously, about the movie “Red and Brown.” At two national festivals, the films of Askolds Saulītis have received the Audience Award – in 1998 “Abduction of Europe” and in 2003 “Keep smiling!”. This film, dedicated to the memory of soldiers who fell in the territory of Latvia, received five nominations and an award for the best screenplay at the 2003 festival, and was later nominated for the NIKA Award of the Russian Film Academy. Saulītis’ next documentary “Festive Anatomy” (2005) also received five nominations at the National Film Festival and was awarded for best editing.

In 2008, Askolds Saulītis completed work on the documentary film “Debt to Afghanistan”, on March 5, 2009, the Estonian director Arbo Tammiksars’ film “Fricks and Blondes”, for which Askolds Saulītis was the Latvian producer, premiered in Riga; The film tells the story of Baltic actors who played Nazis in Soviet – era films. In the same year, the film “Bermontia” directed by Saulītis himself was completed, which explores a very difficult period in the history of Latvia with the help of extensive archive materials and productions. The studio “Subjektiv Filma” has also made a documentary “Out of the Playground” about former and current basketball stars with state support, its TV premiere took place in the beginning of 2015.

In 2011, Askolds Saulītis founded the association “Terra Europa”, which has made several documentaries on Latvian history, confirming the author’s deep interest and erudition in historical issues – “Anthology of Awakening” (2013), “Baltic Freedom Road” (2014), ” Songwriting “(2018). Askolds Saulītis was included in the film program of Latvian films for the centenary of Latvia with the documentary film “Eight Stars” (2017), which is dedicated to a special phenomenon in the history of Latvia – Latvian riflemen.