Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are ones of the countries that give Ukraine the biggest support in the war with russia. The Baltic states have experienced occupation by their hated neighbor and have a history of a long-term struggle for freedom and national identity.
In this short film program, we want to introduce you to the unique cinematic expressions of the Baltic countries, which have space to reflect on the past and think about the connections between people.
The selection was curated with the help of Lithuanian Shorts, Estonian Film Institute, and 2ANNAS Riga International Short Film Festival.
COMMUNITY GARDENS
Vytautas Katkus
Lithuania | 2019, 15 min
It is a story about a cold relationship between a father and his son. Their bond, plagued by indifference, disintegrates completely.
GUARD OF HONOUR
Edmunds Jansons
Latvia | 2021, 6 min
A natural disaster interferes with the honour guard ritual. Only one of the guards, seemingly pointlessly, chooses to remain in his post.
COLLECTIVE.ME
Adriāna Roze
Latvia | 2018, 21 min
“Collective.ME” is an ironic comedy about lies and the loss of faith. In a small village, a paper mill is expecting a visit from the Ministry. While the director and his team is looking for a creative tools to subvert official’s attention, something much more important slips by unnoticed.
DUMMY
Laurynas Bareiša
Lithuania | 2020, 13 min
Using a faceless doll, a criminal re-enacts a brutal crime. But surprisingly he is not the one being judged. There seems to be an odd one out in the investigative group.
SIERRA
Sander Joon
Estonia | 2022, 15 min
Father and his son are losing the folkrace. In order to win, a boy turns himself into a car tire. Loosely inspired by the director's childhood, Sierra pulls us into the surreal car racing world.
81 METERS
Janis Abele
Latvia | 2022, 14 min
Spring, 2021. A cinephile invites you on an intimate trip through the last surviving cinema houses in Latvia. This documentary essay shot on super 8mm opens the locked doors to the cinema houses during perhaps the most difficult time in the history of physical cinema space. They are closed for public but sometimes we can feel they are alive.