About cats and independence. The best feature of the traditional Latvian Film Marathon on May 4 is Program Diversity / Day

It will not be exaggerated at all that in Latvia the cat is as important as all the other important to the nation, so on the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on May 4, the Latvian Film Marathon focuses not only on freedom and independence, but also cats – and it turns out that in Latvia’s animation they have been present since its inception. For example, Arnold Burov (1915-2006), who is the 110th anniversary of the doll’s founder Arnold Burov (1915-2006), is already in his second film Tiger nau-nau (1967) invited live cats to participate, while in the fourth film Flower ansis (1968) Artist Gunars Fight made him a stylized black cat that is so reminiscent of the currently extremely popular Tire The hero is that the inheritance of traditions in Latvia’s animation seems obvious. Rose Stiebra (1942-2024), the animation breeder of Latvia, also chose the four -legged characters in the film in their third film Five cats (1971) – True, this story -made story with artist Juris Dimiter’s images seems quite violent at times, but just like a modern geopolitical situation, five lazy and negligent cats try to provide their existence through conquering and robbery, but the peaceful and hard working home mice are not.

Many other cats that have become animated film characters also have a stable place in Latvian cinema history: both the famous rescue -in -law Indriķis XIII, who invented and later in the series in 1984 Fantadrome Director and screenwriter Ansis Berzins, together with artist Aivars Rušmanis, and episodic cat attacks in popular puppet series Beasts and Emergency brigadeboth director Nils’s wardrobe plasticine cat living with the fearless Witch, though Vladimir Leschov’s elegant cat silhouette full moon at night; The closest thing to this day is the smart cat from the director Edmund Janson’s series about his friends – he always looks after the little things and speaks to Kaspars Znotiņš’s voice. All these and other Latvian animation cats will be found in the May 4th Latvian Film Marathon Program – some at Splendid Palace’s children’s animation session. 13, others on the portal Movies.lv And so around the world.

The cat created by Gints Zilbalza himself will also be seen on the screen on May 4, when the director, together with producer Matisse Cats, will receive the country’s highest award, the Three Star Order. The Latvian Film Marathon Open Air Sessor has been selected by Ginta Zilbalee’s previous years, including a short film Water/aqua (2012) showing how movies are born Stream Idea.

Chronicle sector

On the 35th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, an important element is also an important element in history, because it is the opportunity to see where we started is best to assess how far we have been. Such an opportunity to return to time – in 1990 – is best provided by documentary cinema, and in particular cinema magazines, which were not taken at that time with a pathetically intent to preserve something for future generations, simply documented everyday events, but at the moment the time distance becomes an attractive and authentic testimony of the era. That’s why the portal Movies.lv The festival program includes seven cinema magazines Latvian Chronicle, which shows an extensive spectrum of events in 1990: both in the Supreme Council elections candidates and wins the People’s Front candidates and the red -white -red flag replaces the LSSR Blue Wavy, as well as the first customs items that strengthen the border between Latvia and Russia. For public viewing and the first gathering of Latvian cinematographers in the historic homeland.

The cinematic sample also includes the many shots from the first session of the newly elected Supreme Council, where MPs voted intense on May 4, 1990 to accept the Declaration of Independence, and the people were holding out the results and then welcomed the voters. Portal Movies.lv The program will remind you that these symbolic shots have a specific « address » and the authors – director Biruta Veldre Cinema Chronicle 20/1990, operators Andris Seleckis, who captured the vote in the Supreme Council meeting room, and Agris Dzelme, who filmed the fervent patriots.

The program’s historic sections on the portal Movies.lv The documentary short film of director Andrejs Apsītis with a whole amusing story – it turns out that the acceptance of the Declaration of Independence was scheduled for May 3, 1990, on this date the Riga Film Studio Chronicle sector specially planned the filming group and technique that will capture Historic Day for Latvia. Filming also took place according to the planned plan, but in the evening it turned out that the debate was too drawn and the vote was moved to May 4… That’s why the title of the film is The day before independence.

Bridges and parallels

Both on the portal Movies.lvboth in the cinema Splendid Palace Juris Podnieks (1950-1992), who celebrates its anniversary in December this year, takes an important place in the festival program, so several film institutions have united, declaring this year. More about all the events of this year, which the LAC Riga Film Museum contains in a joint program, you will be able to find out the cinema Splendid Palace Small halls at 16.30 in which special introductory words will be screened by Jura Podnieks’s most famous movies Is it easy to be young? (1986) The restored copy. The story of young people’s thoughts and worries at the end of the 20th century will be interesting to compare the lives of young people today, which in the small hall session at. 14 will show director Armand Zach’s debut feature film Forever young (2025) – It just seems that today’s generation, unlike the 80s, is not in a hurry to grow.

The bridge from history to today throws several cinematographers included in this year’s Latvian Film Marathon, such as director Dzintra Geka’s latest documentary Born in Siberia. Martin Wilson, Who will celebrate the premiere on May 4th and tell about how the popular actor goes to look for his place of birth – far in Russia, Magadan’s neighborhood, where his father and mother were deported in deportation. The fateful of Latvia in the 40s of the 20th century tells director Aigars Grauba’s feature film Baiga summer (2000), which will be celebrated this year as an important phenomenon in Latvian cinema history – this is the first of the later popular historical melodramas that became the most popular genre for Latvian viewers in the era of restored independence.

Director Dzintra Geka’s new documentary Born in Siberia. Martins Wilson Tells how the actor goes to search for his place of birth – far away in Russia, Magadan, where his father and mother were deported in deportation. Publicity photo

In the context of the film Baiga summer There is also a special event at the cinema premises – at. 18 will open an exhibition organized and supported by friends and contemporaries Cinema. Milbrets+Matisse, who tells about the unique tandem of Latvian cinema history, many popular historical films (also Grim summerfor artists Martins Milbret (1965-2019) and Neil Matisse (1969-2014).

Cinema Splendid Palace The program also includes a separate bright movie screenings, each moving in some way and will excite viewers such as exile Latvians and even non -Latvians, Toronto dance groups Daugaviņa ranks from the heart to grow up to a professionally recognized participation in the Song and Dance Celebration in Latvia; We will see this in the documentary of director Paul Dombrovskis more than a dance, which, moreover, shows the concerts very impressive, allowing the audience to return to the very real sense of the holiday. In turn, in the studio VFS Film The documentary of Elizabeth Gricmanes and Ramunes Rakauskaite Artworks arise in torment Very life and close to the personality of the composer Jur Kulakov, also using unusual staging motifs. Well, finally, very close to the traditional hassle, at. 21 Bright impression on the viewer will definitely leave director Marc Lac’s black vampirkomedia Affected – Either frighten with spectacular vampire costumes and makeup, or delighted and laughed at with the wonderful acting of Andris Keish in the lead role.

In a word, this is a good May 4th Latvian Film Marathon that such a wide program allows you to find a variety of benefits for any cinema. See you at the holidays!