The Baltic region is striving to bring more attention to the skilled filmmakers and producers from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, particularly recognized for their work in documentary filmmaking during the “Poetic New Wave” of the 1960s.
Dita Rietuma, head of the Latvian Film Centre, noted that our Oscar win for the animated film ‘Flow’ has created a strong momentum, which documentaries can definitely capitalize on.”
“The Baltic region is set to make its first appearance at the Cannes Docs during Marché du Film, where three prominent producers – Marianna Kaat from Estonia, Uldis Cekulis from Latvia, and Ruta Adelė Jekentaitė from Lithuania – will attend the Co-Pro Social Club session on May 17.
For the first time, I’m shining a light on the Baltic countries, and I, Pierre-Alexis Chevit, am doing this as the head of Cannes Docs. My aim is to bring attention to the dynamic part that Baltic production companies play in ambitious international co-productions of creative documentary films. These companies have a long history of fostering homegrown documentarians who push the boundaries of nonfiction aesthetics and forms, doing so in remarkably bold and innovative ways.
As a proud supporter, let me share an exciting piece of news: I’m thrilled to mention that among our three delegates, Marianna Kaat is not just a representative but also plays a significant role as the chief curator for the freshly established documentary strand at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival!
Marianna Kaat
As a passionate cinephile, I’m proud to say that I, Kaat, established Baltic Film Production and have become a well-respected figure in the Russian Central-European documentary community. Among my many accomplishments, I directed the critically acclaimed film “Pit No. 8” (2011). More recently, as both director and producer, my work on “The Last Relic” made its debut at Hot Docs in 2023. Additionally, I had the privilege of co-producing “Slave Island,” a documentary that won the award for Best Belgian doc at Docville, Leuven.
At Cannes, Kaat will spotlight the upcoming film “We Will Not Fade Away,” currently in production. This movie features Cypriot-born war photographer Anton Zharov who films exclusively from within a Ukrainian military unit. Additionally, three other projects are being developed: “El Dorado,” a collaboration with France and Greece, is a documentary filmed in the mining town of Chiatura, Georgia, led by Rati Oneli based in New York. “God Is Tango,” directed by Finland’s Annika Grof, explores tango as a symbol of human connections during times of conflict. Lastly, “The Prize of Glory” is helmed by Kyrgystan’s Ilgiz-Sherniiaz Tursunbek Uulu and follows the journey of a young rider and his elderly father in pursuit of victory.
Uldis Cekulis
Over two decades ago, Uldis Cekulis established VFS Film. To date, he has produced or shot over 50 films and has been involved in four films that competed for the Oscars: “Ramin” and “Bridges of Time,” which represented Lithuania in 2012 and 2019 respectively, as well as “Ukrainian Sheriffs,” Ukraine’s entry in 2016. His joint production with Italy, “The Rossellinis,” made its debut at the Venice Critics Week in 2020.
A fervent documentary maker, who believes that these films offer an exceptional means to understand the world and grow as individuals, presents eight productions at Cannes. He remarks that this is a remarkable number for his team’s history, stating it was purely by chance. Leading the roster are two collaborative projects recently chosen for Sheffield DocFest in June: “North South Man Woman”, a joint production between Norway, Latvia, and South Korea, brings together the filmmaker with Morten Traavik from “Liberation Day”, who co-directs with Sun Kim. Dogwoof is handling distribution. In parallel, “Redlight to Limelight” – a heartfelt debut by Bipulijit Basu – is a collaboration between India, Latvia, and Finland.
Prominent works include “The Blessed Ones,” a project where Andrii Lysetskyi of Ukraine focuses his lens on a band of artists grappling with the impact of war in their country, and “The Rossellini Method,” an archive-driven production by Raffaela Brunetti, Ilaria de Laurentiis, and Andrea Paola Massara from Italy.
Ruta Adelė Jekentaitė
Ruta Adelė Jekentaitė, who boasts more than ten years in the cinematic realm, has been recognized for her latest Lithuanian documentary, “Murmuring Hearts,” which earned Fipadoc’s Young Europeans Award. This season, three of her projects headed to Cannes, each backed by the Media Program slate:
1. “Dolce Far Niente,” a collaborative effort between Elena Kairyté and Italy’s Kiné Società Cooperativa, honors the legacy of renowned Italian poet and writer Tonino Guerra.
2. “Theories of Care,” an essay film by Rūta Kiaupaité, offers insights into a collective of wine producers.
3. Lastly, “I Keep My Eyes on You” is a biographical piece constructed from archival materials, focusing on the life of Canada-born filmmaker Zoe Dirse, who holds Lithuanian-Latvian lineage.
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2025-05-17 21:17