The 5th International Documentary Film Festival “Artdocfest/Riga,” taking place from March 1 to 8, will announce the films included in the competition programs “Artdocfest Open” and “Baltic Focus” on January 15.
The Artdocfest/Riga "Baltic Focus" program showcases films from countries all in the Baltic Sea region, except Russia, exploring significant social and political issues as well as existential challenges such as aging, death, and the creation of new life. The festival’s producer and curator of this competition program, Vaiva Bauze, says: “This program offers audiences a glimpse into various life stories and aspects of social dynamics, ranging from the everyday to the vastness of space, emphasizing humanity as a universal value regardless of geographic location.”
This year, the festival will also feature the Latvian premieres of three Latvian films, two of which are part of the “Baltic Focus” competition. The Baltic Sea region film competition “Baltic Focus” features a selection of 10 films (the list is here).
A total of 20 compelling documentary films have been selected for the “Artdocfest Open” competition program (the list is here). Festival president Vitaly Mansky describes this program as follows: “‘Artdocfest Open’ is not merely a mirror reflecting the reality of our tragic times. It is more like a magnifying glass, and sometimes even a microscope, that allows us to examine both the causes of the resurgence of evil and its consequences — in the form of the war in Ukraine, as well as other, less visible but equally tragic conflicts. This auteur cinema reality is once again presented within the festival in the most honest and comprehensive way. ‘Artdocfest Open’ offers an opportunity to discover the brightest revelations in documentary cinema, showcasing its full diversity and contradictions.”
The festival will open on March 1 at 7:30 PM with a screening of the Polish and Lithuanian film “Trains” from the “Baltic Focus” program. The film received the Grand Prix at the International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) in Amsterdam in November 2024.
The festival's closing film on March 8 will be “Iron,” directed by Artdocfest/Riga president Vitaly Mansky, which also had its world premiere at IDFA. Tickets for the festival’s opening and closing films will be available at the Splendid Palace cinema box office starting January 15. Ticket sales for other film screenings will gradually become available.
Screenings of Artdocfest/Riga films will take place at the festival's traditional venues – the Splendid Palace cinema and the Zuzeum Art Center (Lāčplēša Street 101), where the non-competition film program ArtDoc&ProArt will traditionally be shown. Additionally, the Power-Up Space community center of Media Hub Riga (Merķeļa Street 21) will host screenings of two non-competition programs: In the Shadow of War and The Reality of War.
The tradition of the Cinema Night will also continue.
Information about tickets and screenings is available on the Splendid Palace cinema website: splendidpalace.lv.