On August 20, a place took a solemn concert and closing ceremony of the II International Film Festival OPEN PLACE in Rezekne. The second year in the row, the Grand Prix of the festival was handed to the director from Denmark – only this time, it was Theis Mølstrøm Christensen with the documentary film „Dissonans” (“Dissonance”).
The short films received prizes in 4 nominations along with 3 special prizes. The prize for the “Best Documentary” was received by Carl Olsson for “Velsignet være dette sted” (“Blessed be this place”), but the prize for “Best Fiction” was given to Bartosz Kruhlik for the short film „Žar” (“The Heat”). The short film „Kora turneja” (“Choir Tour”) by Edmunds Jansons was announced to be the “Best Animation”. He received the special prize from the travel agency “Impro” as the most successful Latvian director. The special prize of Rezekne City Council went to Poland – to the director Grzegorz Zariczny for the film “Nasza zima zla” (“Our Bad Winter”), but the sympathy prize of the audience was handed to the film director from Russia Аnna Janovskaja, for the short film “Chelovek-dobro” (“Goodman”).
This year, in the festival participated 27 short films created by directors from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Denmark, Germany and Russia. The creations of the new directors were evaluated by the competent jury of the film professionals: a film director and lecturer Laima Žurgina, the producer of the largest international short film festival in Baltics „2ANNAS” Amanda Boka, a film and audiovisual media lecturer Agnese Ivane and a film consultant, one of the co-founders of Umeo International Film Festival (Sweden) Thom Palmen, as well as a director and producer Ināra Kolmane.
The participants of the concert and the festival, new directors and the members of the jury, acknowledged Rezekne city, the opportunities of the Embassy of Latgale GORS, it’s team and the work that has been done in order to found and start a festival like this. The leader of the jury Laima Žurgina did recognize “The inhabitants of Ŗezekne can be proud of the culture of the world now appearance in the city and it`s wide perspectives.” The jury praised the city and the concert hall, as well as the courage to organize the event like this outside the capital of Latvia.
During the closing concert of the festival, a place took not only a solemn awarding ceremony, but also performances of local and foreign artists. The guests and the Rezekne city residents had an opportunity to experience the dance production by choreographer Lilija Lipora “Būt kopā” (“To be Together”) performed by the dance group “Dziga”. Everyone was delighted with the songs that are well known in Latvia and abroad, performed by Rezekne Big Band and the singer Andris Ērglis. In the conclusion of the festival was honored by the participation of the actors of Russian films and theatre Valentina Talyzina, Irina Shvedova, Sergei Kolesnikov and Aristarh Livanov. The Masters of the Ceremony – the Head of the Embassy of Latgale GORS Diāna Zirniņa and the Russian actor, the host of TV broadcasts Vjacheslav Manucharov.
Photo by Māris Justs.
