The opening of Riga International Film Festival SHORT RIGA section will host a number of national premieres by Latvian authors. Animator Lizete Upīte’s short film “Riga’s Lilac” will be one of the works featured. The hand-drawn animation film captures the social impact that a bad smell of another person can cause. The interviews conducted in Riga and the audio recordings by Ģirts Bišs reveal the capital city in a tragicomic manner, constituting what can be conceptualised as “documentary fiction”.
The film was selected as one of the winners at the Baltic Pitching Forum 2016. Lizete Upīte was awarded with participant rights at the European Short Pitch 2017 organized by NISI MASA.
“Night Walks” Upīte’s first film made in Latvia, was nominated in five categories at the Latvian National Film Awards “Lielais Kristaps” 2018. Upīte received award as the best animation artist and Ģirts Bišs was awarded for the best sound design. “Night Walks” has also received high appraisal in one of the oldest and most prominent Northern European film festivals – the Grand Prix of the Fredrikstad Animation Festival.
The short films of Lizete Upīte reflect on the depicted environment and center around everyday experiences that often go unnoticed. Her works show direct influences of the cities she has resided in when elaborating them. Thus, the depiction of Riga is special not only in subject matter but also with regard to the overall atmosphere. “Riga’s Lilac” has been drawn in Valence, France, while participating in the creative residency “Projectiles”, and is produced by Papy3D (France) and Atom Art (Latvia).
You can find out more about the Riga International Film Festival SHORT RIGA section here.
