2ANNAS ISFF 2020

From another perspective, the black background or night skies that are inevitably present in any film included in this  programme, or even „the black hole of time” feared by the protagonists in one of those films, stimulate growth of crazy ideas and exquisite blossoms of imagination, chronoclasmic shackles or plasticine whirls. No Latvian needs to be prodded to indulge in fantasies and would willingly let his imagination run wild.

To put it short, in the history of the Latvian film-making there aren’t many films, let alone full-length, that could be put in the Cosmic Latvians programme. But this plays into the hands of the 2 Annas film festival – there are just enough of the best „cosmic” short films by Latvian directors, all made in the 21st century, to make one screening session. And these represent a wide spectrum – fiction films that are humorous or mystical, animation films in various techniques from drawings to clay animation, and even a documentary with „real people”, at least that’s how they are called, even though they appear to be completely out of their mind. So, the Latvians have an actual, even if incredible, relationship with space.

Programme curator: Kristīne Matīsa

Founded in 1988, the European Film Academy now unites more than 3,600 European film professionals with the common aim of promoting Europe’s film culture. EFA Shorts 2019 - a chance to experience outstanding artworks of contemporary European filmmaking. The programme features a selection from 20 European Short Film Candidates each of them selected at a renowned European (short) film festival as a candidate for the European Film Awards 2019.

Founded in 1988, the European Film Academy now unites more than 3,600 European film professionals with the common aim of promoting Europe’s film culture. EFA Shorts 2019 - a chance to experience outstanding artworks of contemporary European filmmaking. The programme features a selection from 20 European Short Film Candidates each of them selected at a renowned European (short) film festival as a candidate for the European Film Awards 2019. 

Founded in 1988, the European Film Academy now unites more than 3,600 European film professionals with the common aim of promoting Europe’s film culture. EFA Shorts 2019 - a chance to experience outstanding artworks of contemporary European filmmaking. The programme features a selection from 20 European Short Film Candidates each of them selected at a renowned European (short) film festival as a candidate for the European Film Awards 2019. 

Kaņepes kultūras centrs, Cinema Augusts

On 4 October 1957, the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik-1, was launched into a low orbit. It spent three weeks in the geocentric orbit, broadcasting one-way radio signals, until its batteries died. For the 71 days of its remaining lifetime, Sputnik-1 silently and inevitably orbited closer and closer to its end. On 4 January 1958, Sputnik-1 burned up as it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere during its fall.

The film programme through both direct and associative motifs explores experiences of loneliness as deep as outer space when it seems impossible to establish a reciprocal and mutually satisfying communication with the surrounding world, when you are suffocating in the cyclic routine that brings you closer and closer to the point of snapping.

The sacrifice of Sputnik-1 not only marked the beginning of the era of the increasingly active space exploration and made it an icon of the Cold War space race but also transformed the expanse of the popular culture – the satellite appeared in commercials, on postage stamps, in animation films, there were poems and eulogies dedicated to it, and the signals that it used to broadcast have even been included in pieces of modern music. But this time it will be something more low-key – an audio-visual elegy for those lonely souls who remained unknown and unglorified.

Programme curator: Miks Želvis

During two days, Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS will focus on how to develop a successful short film. Together with international and local professionals we will try to come up with the key ingredients for good quality short. How to make a film that is noticed by the most important festivals, that is critically acclaimed, has audience crossing the borders? The event is divided in five parts - story, innovation, editing, production and distribution and each part is presented by industry professionals. The second day of Industry Events will be spent in an informal atmosphere. Short Date with my Short is a networking event, organised to bring professionals together - to introduce Latvian filmmakers with European experts, to gather film directors with film producers and sales agents.

Dates: 13. - 14.02.

Venues: Latvian Academy of Culture at the National Film School premises, Elijas street 17; Kanepes Culture Centre, Skolas street 15

13/02

09:30 – 10:00  Registration

10:15 – 10:30 Official introduction

10:30 – 11:50 STORY Mauro Carraro (Italy); Gabrielė Cegialytė (Lithuania) 

12:00 – 12:45 INNOVATION Cory McLeod (USA/Latvia) 

12:45 – 13:30 EDITING Kaspar Kallas (Estonia)

15:00 – 16:50 DISTRIBUTION Rimantė Daugėlaitė (Lithuania); Wouter Jansen (The Netherlands)

17:00 – 18:00 PRODUCTION Ben Vandendaele (Belgium); Thom Palmen (Sweden/Latvia)

18:10 – 19:30 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Moderator: Laurence Boyce (UK/Estonia)

Participants: Gabrielė Cegialytė, Mauro Carraro, Cory McLeod, Kaspar Kallas, Rimantė Daugėlaitė, Wouter Jansen, Ben Vandendaele, Thom Palmen, Daiga Livčāne, Jānis Putniņš.

Parallel to the activities of the Industry Day on the 13th February, you will have the chance to see Pērkons Rockumentary VR, dir. Cory McLeod, documentary, USA, 2018, 11 min

14/02

18:00 – 19:30 Short Date with my Short

Experts: Maoro Carraro, Cory McLeod, Kaspar Kallas, Rimantė Daugėlaitė, Wouter Jansen, Ben Vandendaele, Thom Palmen

Director Statement

Ogre is not just a city. Ogre is a river. Ogre is the name of the girl. Ogre is the state of the soul.

/R. Gobziņš/

Roberts Gobziņš also is known as Eastbam or East Bam (as a result of his artistic connections with Westbam) is a Latvian entertainer. His career has encompassed work as a musician, DJ, MC, radio personality (often with comedic overtones) and parliamentary candidate. He is best known as a member or collaborator with numerous bands (Dzeltenie Pastnieki, NSRD, Diskomforts, 19 gadi pirms sākuma, Kaija, CSK, Fortress, Dzidriņas Megasistēma, Smalkie Regeji, Los Amigos, Resnie Putni, Twinkle Brothers) and, throughout the 1990s, as a nationally successful solo artist.

If you looked up the word “elsewhere” in a thesaurus, you would get only a brief explanation – a different place. This explanation seems incomplete as the word can just as well be associated with a strange place. Consulting the thesaurus again, you’d find a more detailed description of “strange”. Now, this is starting to make sense and leads to a discourse that “from elsewhere” might mean the unknown, the unfamiliar, the incomprehensible, things weird and out-of-place, or beyond our perception, etc. This is definitely helpful to understand the meaning of the phrase and get an idea of the selected short films. 

When picking the films for this focus programme, I took a rather wide approach to the theme. To give a few examples, of course, the first thing that would come to one’s mind are aliens.  The film Alive in Joburg offers a variation on the subject. Void explores the idea of a parallel universe. Hotaru and the animation film Contact address the theme of space, vastness and the associated loneliness.

Programme curator: Linda Valte

During the awards ceremony, it will be possible not only to find out which festival films will receive the legendary Golden Anna and 1000 EUR from the Latvijas Mobilais Telefons, as well as 2000 EUR from BBRental - BBPostHouse for the Baltic Best short film, but also to celebrate the festival with the film directors and festival team.
Each year 2ANNAS strives to create awards ceremonies in a warm and cozy atmosphere, as films are the centerpiece of our festival!

See you!

The black hole consumes everything that comes its way. Being outside the time and space, the ordinary and the conceivable, it is the most mysterious thing found in the universe.

The directors of several experimental films included in the programme were looking for various innovative ways to show extra-terrestrial matter, the impact of the planets and shadows they cast on the planet Earth, as well as other dimensions.  

The Black Hole will be a challenge to spectators to venture on a meditative journey which will change each and every participant. Are you ready to go? 

Programme curator: Laima Graždanoviča

Join us on Sunday for the screenings of the 2ANNAS competition “Awarded films 2020”. See the best of the best!

We like it short!