Avant-garde of Latvian Amateurs
Film programme
Curator: Lāsma Bērtule
Since the end of the 1950’s the amateur filmmakers of Soviet Latvia, mainly working in amateur film studios organized and supported, yet not entirely controlled, by the state, created a huge body of work that is still not a wholly recognized part of local cinema history. This programme shows some of the films, made in the 1980’s, whose authors can truly be called amateurs in the literal meaning of the word. As passionate lovers of film, they gave themselves each to their own freedom, concerns, skills and unconditional enthusiasm, while wading ahead in little groups into the sea of cinema. Born outside of the industry, yet inside the empire, these “small” cinema films of the 1980’s provide us with a perspective on facing an order that gradually ceases to seem eternal.
1. NLO no 1. kursa / UFO of the Junior Year // Dainis Kļava
People’s Film Studio of Academy of Sciences / 1984 / b/w / magnetic sound / 5’ / 16mm >> 16mm
2. Logs / Window // Aleksandrs Ozerkins
“Sintēze” / 1984-1985 / m/b / separate magnetic sound, 6mm / 7’ / 16mm >> 16mm
3. Nākošais / The Coming One // Aldis Šēnbergs, Rauls Šēnbergs
People’s Film Studio of Lielupe House of Culture / 1989 / b/w / magnetic sound / 3’ 45” / 16mm >> 16mm
4. Aizejot nodzēsiet gaismu / Put Out the Light When Leaving // Viesturs Graždanovičs
People’s Film Studio of Academy of Sciences / 1984-1988 / b/w / magnetic sound / 10’ 30” / 16mm >> 16mm
5. Karjera / Career // Kārlis Šverns
Riga Individual Film Amateur Society / 1985-1986 / b/w / silent / 5’ / 16mm >> 16mm
6. Zemnieks / Peasant // Egons Ķeružis
”Aizvīķi” / 1989 / b/w / magnetic sound / 10’ / 16mm >> 16mm
7. Laimes režīms / Regime of Happiness // Daila Rotbaha
“Ceļinieks” / 1983 / b/w / magnetic sound / 9’ / 16mm >> 16mm
8. Hiperdroms / Hyperdrome // Māris Viģelis, Egons Zīverts
Eduard Tissé People’s Film Studio / 1989 / b/w / magnetic sound / 10’ / 16mm >> 16mm
9. Aplis pierādījumā / Circle in the Proof // Zigurds Vidiņš
People’s Film Studio of Academy of Sciences / 1980 / b&w / magnetic sound / 7’ 40” / 16mm >> 16mm
10. 5 000 000 001. // Modris Klēbahs
“Laisma” / b&w / 1988 / separate magnetic sound, 6mm / 2’ / 16mm >> 16mm
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