Janis Paukstello

The Heiress of Werewolves

Latvia. The end of the 19th century. In a corner of a parish on the shore of a lake, two families live side by side. The Dievlodziņi and the Vilkači. With a long-standing hatred in their relations. True, the manifestations of hatred are felt only in the Dievlodziņi homes. How could it not! They are increasingly unlucky, diseases and livestock diseases strike, and the crops do not yield. In contrast, in the Vilkači, everything grows in a whirlwind, and diseases also continue to take a detour. This leads us to think that the Vilkači family achieves its prosperity by pestering and practicing witchcraft. Over time, they have also managed to turn the other people of the parish against them. However, the essence is completely different. The Vilkači people, being Christians, have not forgotten the ancient traditions and customs of the Latvian people, which are rooted in human life, not separating themselves from nature.

Forgotten Things

Soloist Needed

Latvian friends are helping to Estonian rock group to participate in the music competition.

Wait for the «John Grafton»

At the beginning of the summer of 1905, representatives of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party Krasilnikov and Elkonen turned to Captain Zhanis Trautman, a Latvian political emigrant living on the outskirts of London, with a proposal to lead a steamer with a cargo of weapons to the shores of Russia. Having recruited a team of old and tried comrades, Trautman changes the crew of an English cargo ship bought by the front men. In the course of the squabble that arose on this occasion, a sailor of the old crew, David Blake, was stabbed. The wounded Blake and the veterinarian Gruber, who accompanied the cargo of anthrax drugs, are forced to leave on board. On the high seas, weapons and explosives were loaded on board. The steamer headed for the Oresund Strait, where a messenger was to meet him.

The Mills of Fate

A love triangle - a terminally ill university teacher, a blind girl and a young bard. In the background of it all - the wild arrival of the capitalism, political conflicts, city life and the beautiful nature of Latvia. In the end love will conquer everything, though not everybody will live to witness that.

Christmas Huddle

The story of Cīrulīši - a tight-knit family down on their luck, and their trials and tribulations during the Christmas season.

Death Under Sail

Successful oncologist Dr. Roger Mills invites a group of friends aboard his yacht for a relaxing getaway. Days later, on a bright sunny morning, he is found dead, shot through the heart. As suspicion falls on those closest to him, local police sergeant Beryl and Mr. Finbow begin a murder investigation that will expose the secrets hidden beneath the carefree voyage.

The Times of the Surveyors

The second half of the 19th century. The arrival of land surveyors in a Latvian village for the redistribution of land provoked a scandal...

The Only Picture

Historical reenactment of preparation in Nov. 17 and proclamation of independence of Latvia in Nov. 18, 1918 and in epicenter is only taken photograph of this historical moment.

Strange Passions

It is the post-war era on the Latvian border, and the Lithuanian girl Maryte has located her relative, Antanas. Having been a farmhand on a rich farm as well as the lover of the owner's wife, upon his return from the war Antanas hopes to gain as much as he can from the collapse of the old world. The wife's daughter, Ausma, has since grown up and seems much more desirable to Antanas than his former lover. The historical situation makes for a tense atmosphere, because in the nighttime partisans may emerge from the forest, while during the daytime everyone must be careful to follow the new rules of life under Soviet rule.

Maximum Headroom

Members of a class of the 1980s hold an annual gathering. All together spend one night remembering the passions and hopes of youth and realising what has been achieved or missed.

Figūras

A film essay on the theme of the underground city, the post-war mood – about winners and losers.

Unfinished Dinner

In one of the prestigious restaurants during banquet speech a large company's director Palmgren is killed in front of dozen guests . Case is lead by Criminal Investigation Officer Pierre Monson with his assistants. Suspect can be easily intercepted if only miserably lazy police officers Kvant and Kristiansson instead of catching criminal would not argue with father of little 3 years old boy who yelled: "Police, police, mashed potatoes" when they ate hot dogs. Help comes from capital in form of the famous Commissioner Martin Beck, who discovers that murdered industrialist was involved in illegal activities and had many enemies. The case is linked as well with government's "higher ends".

Keys of the City

Austra arrives to a small Latvian town to work for a state institution and faces disinterest and carelessness from her colleagues. Her other troubles include a difficult relationship with her daughter and a sudden falling in love.

My Frivolous Friend

Arvīds Lasmanis can't hold any job for long because he is not ready to tolerate deceit and slapdash work. He still has to feed his family, by chance he finds a well-paid job as a gravedigger. A friend helps Arvīds to find a place in a construction team, but other workers don't approve of Arvīds' high principles. His wife accuses him of not knowing how to make money, the family lives crammed in one room of a shared flat. The Soviet absurd comedy tells a story about a man who, while at odds with the system, won't lose his conscience and his true self, even if it means saying no to wealth and comfort.