Laila Pakalnina: The First Bridge
“Krāslava bridge is the first bridge built over the river Daugava in the territory of Latvia—a gate for the Daugava river from Belarus to Latvia”, explains Laila Pakalniņa. “Every film is about time, but ours maybe a bit more than others as it was shot on Kodak Eastman Plus-X Negative Film 5231, acquired in the year 1997 and discovered intact in 2018. So, we are dedicating The First Bridge to film stock”.
Words from a director, who again (like she did with ”Spoon”) surprises with static shots by Gints Berzins and adorable sound work by Anrijs Krenbergs put together in a way that invites you to enjoy the study of a bridge from many angles, most often behind withered branches and bushes, close by or from a distance. The Daugava river with calm water movements, a woman walking from right to left within the image, a woman walking from left to right, steps, cars being heard – and (pure beauty) snow where there is no sound and then suddenly you hear the snow sweeping. Berzins and Pakalnina are playing with the angles, drawing lines as if they are inspired by the Russian avantgarde artists?
In the Visions du Réel catalogue the film is chategorised as a social documentary. Well, why not, time stands still, houses are not at their best, the tone and atmosphere are like the short documentaries Pakalnina made in the middle of the 1990’es – example, «The Ferry», «The Post»…Life outside what we normally are invited to see.
Waiting for the next film by Pakalnina and Berzins.
Latvia, 2020, 12 mins.
