Baltic Sea Docs – Hope and Loss
There is hope! That was my reaction this morning at the first round of pitching at the 29th Baltic Sea Docs in Riga. I thought so when I met the Hungarian film project “Kind of Adults” by Rita Balogh and Peter Akar, shot over a period of 5 years, as they write in the catalogue: self-shot and observational footage, full of energy and dynamic it is, young people with opinions, living life, enjoying to be together, breaking rules. It won’t survive, Orban and his regime, were my
thoughts, hoping. Later on I met Julianna Ugrin, Hungarian producer with quite a track record. She asked me, what I thought of the project. I expressed my enthusiasm to what I had seen, she said yes, but they are all leaving the country… Hope she is wrong!
My other feeling of Hope came a bit later of the morning, when “Rapland” was pitched by producer Oona Saari and director Milna Alajärvi. A documentary musical from Lapland full of Life and Music and the wish for independence. Not only music but also Art with a smiling competent pitcher, the director, simply making me happy watching, what she was showing. Great rapping and singing, hope it will come through in the final film; remember that pitching is 3 minutes of visuals and 4 minutes of talk followed by questions and answers from a panel.
Ivars Zviedris, a wonderful documentarian, whose work I have written about on this site, https://filmkommentaren.dk/ivars-zviedris-documentarian-new-film-faithful-until-death/, was there as well with “A Guide to Grief”. His daughter took her own life. Very strong, very moving, a lot of warm feelings from me goes to Ivars. From the catalogue:
By sharing an honest, personal story in a rich cinematic language, the film offers a space for reflection and connection – allowing audiences to better grasp the often inexpressible of loss.’
There were two films presented in the “Coming Soon” section of the festival. I loved “Under the Red Light” by Joris Skudra, presented here in Riga in 2022 and now soon to be released.
About the Lithuanian photographer Romualdas Požerskis (photo), who made great photos in his traveling around the world. What got me totally, was the sequence, where Požerskis reflects on his loss of his wife. They were together for around half of his life, 40 years.… These scenes are so well made and of course – I am now 78 years old, I have the same thougths: I don’t want to be alone, please!!!
