Imants Strads

Radiņi

Izdzīvošanas skola

The Red Barn

The 20th century dreamt of utopia but instead experienced tragedies. This film looks at San Francisco-based Latvian artist and playwright Raimonds Staprāns’ nearly century-long experience of trying to define life and statehood. It constructs an exact replica of one of his paintings, and asks actors to portray characters from his plays. Keeping in mind the symbolically charged image of the red barn in the painting, it deliberately incites arguments between the actors, the director and the crew about the motivations of the characters as well as alternative actions or decisions that they could have taken but did not.

Full Postbox

Adam, a man from the capital, lands a job in a postal office of a quiet town. His boss, Anita, a small-town Marilyn Monroe, has two concerns - a lack of romantic partner, and a battle with a rival postal office nearby, as one of them will be closed. Adam becomes enchanted by a woman who works at a nearby cafe, while her colonel father is too shy to express his feelings towards Anita and writes anonymous love letters instead...

The Wounded Rider

In two monumental symbols of the national awareness sculptor Kārlis Zāle has immortalized his vision about the state of Latvia. Freedom Monument is the statement of the sculptor’s love for his native country. Kārlis Zāle with his characteristic monumental touch sees life in large and powerful lines; the same way he perceives also sculpture that requires much vital force and daring. The full-length documentary “The Wounded Rider” is based on facts from the life of the sculptor Kārlis Zāle and documents on the construction of the Freedom Monument, providing insight in the political and social scene of the age and presenting outstanding figures in the culture and art together with the ideals of that time.

Dream Team 1935

Geneva, Switzerland 1935. The first European Basketball Championship is about to take place. Basketball is still an unknown sport in Europe, and the national teams are meeting for the first time. Each wants the honour of being the first champion. Meanwhile in Latvia, coach Baumanis is convinced that he can assemble a team and take it to Geneva. He quickly learns however, that triumph and defeat are also part of the game. Coach Baumanis faces many difficulties, as well as unexpected help from those closest to him.

Foam at the Mouth

After losing his leg, ex-cop Didzis focuses on training his three beloved police dogs. His estranged wife Jana, a doctor at the local sports school, seeks romantic fulfilment with Roberts, a 17-year-old student and a promising swimmer. After a secret randez-vous, Jana hits a rabid wild boar with her car and eventually spreads the virus to Didzis’ dogs. The accident ignites dark suspicion and jealousy in Didzis. Busy with finding and punishing Jana’s secret lover, Didzis overlooks the ever-growing strangeness and aggression in his now infected dogs. Just as the love triangle becomes toxic, the dogs escape and threaten the local town. Facing both personal and professional fiasco, Didzis decides to take matter in his own hands.

One Ticket Please

A documentary about a 78-year-old Indian woman in New York who is the world's most passionate theatergoer. Nicki Cochrane has been seeing a play every day for more than 25 years, acquiring free tickets using a variety of ingenious means.

Matīss Kaža. The Impossible Self-Portrait

The film follows Matīss Kaža during a period when his professional life has taken him from one country and continent to another. Together with Gints Zilbalodis, the director of the film Flow (Straume), he spent nearly a year caught in a whirlwind of international award ceremonies, events, and meetings—a journey that included the film’s path to the Academy Awards. Yet, this is only one facet of Kaža’s life and work. During the same period, he made his debut as a theatre director at three different venues in Riga and crafted the Lielais Kristaps (Latvian National Film Awards) and Spēlmaņu nakts (Latvian Theatre Awards) ceremonies as multimedia performances. The camera follows Kaža as he constantly creates, travels, and engages in new projects, all while maintaining an ironic perspective on both himself and the world around him.

Happy Birthday, Sofka!

It's Sofka's birthday and she gets a lamp which is the beginning of her dream. But there's a misunderstanding and someone takes Sofka’s lamp away. Because of a friend’s principles of justice, Sofka winds up in a criminal situation.

Mystery of the Old Garden

A family film about an adventure of kids discovering and safeguarding the mystery of an old garden.

Class Reunion 2

Three best friends have to attend funeral, organize a stag party and to be on time for wedding. Personal problems and close time draw three friends into crazy adventures.

January

It is 1991 in Latvia and nineteen-year-old aspiring cinematographer Jazis’s whole world is thrown into chaos as he is dragged into the people’s peaceful protests against the Soviet Army’s attempted takeover of power in his country.

Saplēstā krūze

Latvian Television's multi-series film "The Torn Mug" is based on the novels "The Torn Mug" and "Wolf's Tooth" by Alfreds Dziļums. Only a few of the main characters and the twists and turns of their relationships are taken from the novel "The Broken Pitcher", while the majority of the film consists of original content, in which the plot is interspersed with various events. They will draw the viewer into the feelings and values of the inner world of a Latvian.

Taurins Senior

Gunars Taurins has become a dad-sitter in Latvia. He wants to return to France as soon as possible once he has found a caregiver for his father. But it's not that easy and Gunars has to stay in Riga whether he likes it or not.