Riga International Film Festival (Riga IFF), the main prize in the feature film competition was won by Russian director Ivan Tverdovsky’s drama “Conference” about the 2002 “Nord-Ost” terrorist attack at the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow, overcoming post-traumatic syndrome and reconciling with the tragic event for years, Delfi told Riga IFF representatives of the organizers.
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The film, which won the festival’s feature film competition, premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival, in an out-of-competition program.
Tverdovsky is the first film director to talk about the hostage crisis of October 2002 and the tragedy that followed. At the time, during the musical “Nord – Ost”, about 50 armed terrorists stormed the Dubrovka theater and captured actors and spectators – more than 800 people – demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya. During the release operation, during which poisonous, hypnotic gas was injected into the theater hall, 130 hostages, including children, were killed, according to official data.
The main character of the film “Conference” is a nun Natalia (played by actress Natalia Pavlenkova). She has returned from the monastery to Moscow to host a terrorist memorial event at the Dubrovka Theater Center. Gradually recalling the chronological sequence of events, she relives the most tragic days of her life, which changed her entire future. The woman herself ran out the window at the time, but lost her son. Her husband and daughter perceived the flight as a betrayal.
Actors Olga Lapšina, Ksenija Zuejva, Oleg Feoktisov and others also play in the film.
“The film looks at complex topics very precisely and with restraint – memory, fear and guilt. The creator of the work has managed to strike a balance between a scrupulously developed aesthetic solution and images whose humanity is revealed through the prism of moral imperfection,” the Riga IFF jury writes about the film.
The main prize of the Riga IFF is the symbol of the festival – the bronze cast Riga rooster, created by the artist Ervins Broks, which consists of eight parts to remind that the film is made only in collaboration. The director will also receive a cash prize of 2,000 euros, which will be awarded to the winner by the festival’s supporters.
The organizers of the festival remind that this is not the first time that Tverdovskis has received the Riga IFF award – in 2016, the director’s film “Zoology” became a favorite of the audience.
It has already been reported that Riga IFF took place in person and online from 15 to 25 October this year and offered 129 films in 10 thematic programs. According to the organizers, film viewers in Riga, Jurmala, Ogre, Liepaja and Valmiera have most actively used the opportunity of the festival’s online screenings.
Liene Treimane, the director of the Riga International Film Festival: “This year has proved that the festival can be different. Cinema lovers can also unite when they have to watch movies on screens in their homes. Also when cinemas have to thin out and observe numerous security restrictions. This year, we created a festival that none of us have experienced before, with 129 films in 66 face-to-face and 50 online screenings, countless online meetings with film professionals from around the world, and a special thank you to the festival’s brave team, more than 100 tireless volunteers and all spectators of the festival. “
The reflection of the Danish director Illum Jakobi on the philosopher Edmund Berk, who has received special recognition from the jury, “Kibeles with nature”, which under the guise of costume drama offers a subtle satire on the human relationship with the uncontrollable flora and fauna.
Festival Short Film Sections »Short Riga” In the international competition winning Nadja Andrasheva (France) animated short film “Symbiosis”, which tells of a deceived woman who begins to investigate her husband’s lover’s life. “Short Riga “National Competition The winner this year has become Alise Zariņa ‘s short film “Two stripes”, in which six actors survive 12 personal stories of women on abortion.
The winners of the international and national short film competition were chosen by Wim Vanaker, a member of the Cannes Film Festival’s official short film competition selection committee, director and co-founder of Baltic Analog Lab, Signe Birkova, and Mikhail Zeleznikov, organizer and curator of the experimental film festival Kinodot. The winners of both “Short Riga” short film competitions will receive “Zalkti” created by the artist Maija Vītola, but the winner of the international competition will also receive a cash prize of 1,000 euros.
For the second year in a row, the Riga International Film Festival and the “Short Riga” section are one of the 24 film institutions in the world that nominate the prestigious European Film Prize – Gabriela Bēmera, who was screened at the International Short Film Competition, “Press this button if you panic”, which, using experimental animation techniques, tells of a person ‘s reconciliation with his illness.
The “Short Riga” program also took place for the sixth year in a row Baltic music video a competition that uniquely offers the Baltic region to look at this video art genre with a professional perspective. The main prize, the third “Short Riga” section “Zalkti”, went to the group “Puuluup” video “Kapapuu” by “Zbanski Kino”, while the special jury recognition went to “Bruises On Her Legs” by Igne Narbutaite, performed by the group “Kabloonak” .
The Splendid Palace cinema has presented its audience award for a documentary reflection on his father, the legendary film director Andrei Tarkovsky, created by Andrei Tarkovsky’s junior. The movie “Andrejs Tarkovskis. Cinema Prayer” viewers will be able to watch again in a special screening at the “Splendid Palace” cinema on October 31, at 15.30.
Your favorite Riga IFF family film competition “Kids Weekend” was also chosen by the children’s jury. The little experts presented their prize to Miša Kampas’ story about the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter in the film “Romijas salons” (The Netherlands).
The festival also included “Riga IFF Forum” – A series of events for professionals in the film industry and for young people in the industry. For the first time, they only took place online, bringing together representatives from all over the world.
The Riga IFF took place from 15 to 25 October in person – at the Splendid palace cinema and the National Library of Latvia – as well as online throughout Latvia. A number of lectures, discussions and other events were also available during the festival. Event logs are visible on the festival ‘s YouTube channel.
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