The 4th International Documentary Film Festival Artdocfest/Riga, which will take place in Riga on 1 - 8 March 2024, commemorates the second anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine and expresses its support. In cooperation with the association "Tavi draugi", before or after the film screenings there will be an opportunity to donate to the Ukrainian army and civilians.
Today, the 24th of February, is the second anniversary of the beginning of Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine. Ever since 2022 Artdocfest/Riga has changed its visual identity to match the colors of the Ukrainian flag, in other words, to yellow and blue as a sign of support for the heroic people defending not only their country, but also the whole Europe, world, and our Latvia. This year's Artdocfest/Riga festival programme also includes several films that tell the story of the horrors of war in Ukraine in different ways. For example, the competition programme will feature the premieres of two films by Ukrainian directors born and raised in Mariupol: "A Picture to Remember" and "A Bit of a Stranger". Both films tell the story of their families and how the authors lost their homes as a result of Russian aggression. In “A Bit of a Stranger”, the director wants to show viewers abroad how Russia's imperial policies and Soviet totalitarianism changed the cultural environment and self-perception of Ukrainians by looking at the past and present of her family and country. “A Bit of a Stranger” will be screened on March 3rd at 18.00 and March 8th at 20.30 at Splendid palace. "A Picture to Remember" reveals the link between the current violence in the Donbas and the devastation caused during the Second World War. This film will be screened in a double screening on March 4th at 18.30 together with "The Mist", which depicts the morning when Ukraine was awakened by sirens and Russian missiles.
The Zuzeum art centre will also be screening the special out-of-competition programmes "Ukraine Above All" and "Peace in War" for free for two consecutive days on the 2nd and 3rd of March. Relating to the death of Alexei Navalny, we would like to draw attention to the film "Russia vs Lawyers" by Maria Novikova, who has been living in the Netherlands for 35 years and will come to present her film to the audience in Riga. Her film is a powerful and emotional story about Russia's crimes against the state and its laws, as reflected in the lawyers' struggle for justice under an increasingly suffocating dictatorship. The film will be screened on 3 March at 12.00 at the Zuzeum Art Centre by booking your ticket on the Zuzeum website.
Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!
The International Documentary Film Festival Artdocfest/Riga is supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation, Riga City Council, the Embassy of Israel, the Danish Cultural Institute, Radio SWH, organization ”Skrīveru saldumi”, Neighbourhood Riga, Meduza, LiveRiga, Artdoc.Media, Zuzeum Art Centre, LSM. lv, portal Delfi.lv, magazine "Kino Raksti", cinema Splendid Palace, German TV channel "Deutsche Welle", US TV channel "Current Time TV", US media organization "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty", association "Tavi draugi", hotel "Pullman Hotels and Resorts" and TV channel "TV Rain".
Artdocfest/Riga film screenings will take place at the festival's traditional home venues - the Splendid Palace cinema and the Zuzeum art centre.