Shorts from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia come together as Cannes Short Film Corner kicks off for another year.
With Short Film Corner, the section of Cannes dedicated to short films, kicking off, a united group of Baltic short film organizations will be on hand at the largest film festival in the world to present some highlights and new talents from the region.
Lithuanian Shorts, 2ANNAS Riga International Short Film Festival, SHORT RIGA at Riga International Film Festival, PÖFF Shorts (Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival) and the Estonian Short Film Center have banded together to showcase a number of new shorts and talk about the fact that – despite their relatively small sizes – the countries of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are making their mark on the international scene.
Professionals attending Short Film Corner will be given the opportunity to view a collection called “Baltic Shorts” containing the freshest short films from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. These 10 animation, documentary and fiction shorts – recently finished and looking for the distribution, sales opportunities or festival premieres – represent some of the most exciting filmmakers currently working in the region and display the creativity and unique sensibility of films from the Baltic region.
The collection “Baltic Shorts” will be available on the Short Film Corner platform between 12-16 July. Access is available with a Short Film Corner 2021 accreditation only.
On Thursday 15 July international industry representatives will attend the keynote speech “Small Countries. Big Impacts: The Short Film Production Ecosystem of the Baltics”. This talk will give an overview of the Baltic short film industry, exploring the individuality of each country while also examining their strength when working together.
The presentation will also provide details on significant facts and figures, some of the new and exciting talents to be on the lookout for from the Baltic regions and introduce (co)-production possibilities from the Baltic countries. The keynote will be accessible with the Cannes Court Métrage 2021 accreditation only.
Rimantė Daugėlaitė said:
“This year promises to be a great one for Baltic Shorts and we’re really happy not only to showcase a selection of truly great shorts but also to be able to talk and explore more about what makes our countries so special. It’ll be a great opportunity to connect with professionals from across the world at the biggest film festival on the planet and let them discover more about the wonderful talents we have working in our respective countries.”
The programme “Baltic Shorts” is curated and the keynote is organized by Lithuanian Shorts, 2ANNAS Riga International Short Film Festival, SHORT RIGA at Riga International Film Festival, Estonian Short Film Center. Institutional partners – Lithuanian Film Center, National Film Centre of Latvia.
AGENDA
Small Countries. Big Impacts: The Short Film Production Ecosystem of the Baltics
15 July, Thursday
10:00 – 11:15 a.m. (CET)
Keynote
This talk will give an overview of the Baltic short film industry, exploring the individuality of each country while also examining their strength when working together. The presentation will also provide details on significant facts and figures, some of the new and exciting talents to be on the look out for from the Baltic regions and introduce (co)-production possibilities from the Baltic countries.
“Baltic Shorts” at Short Film Corner – Available 12-16 July.
Short films in the programme:
– Lithuania –
MOTINOS | MOTHERS fiction, 15 min., 2021
Director Birutė Kapustinskaitė
Producer Rūta Petronytė
Production company ARTBOX
Aldona is the single mother of a daughter, Migle, who is soon to become a mother herself. When Migle comes to visit for the weekend, Aldona tries to show how much she cares, but instead starts to control her daughter.
MORA MORA animation, 10 min., 2021
Director Jurga Šeduikytė
Producer Giedrė Burokaitė
Production company MENO AVILYS
The keys of a shattered piano help a child navigate an eerie emotional world.
TĖTUŠIS | DADDY fiction, 14 min., 2021
Director Justas Ramanauskas
Producer Viktorija Seniut
Production company VIKTORIA FILMS
When their father suddenly dies on holiday, his three adult children who haven’t spoken in years must work together to bring his body home.
– Latvia –
COMEBACK animation, 8 min., 2021
Director Vladimir Leschiov
Producer Vladimir Leschiov
Production company LUNOHOD
One day, a father recalls the passion of his childhood, which he had to leave. Nostalgia gives him the idea of a Christmas present for his son. And the game comes back.
GODA SARDZE | GUARD OF HONOUR animation, 5 min., 2021
Director Edmunds Jansons
Producer Sabine Andersone
Production company ATOM ART
A natural disaster interferes with the honour guard ritual. Only one of the guards, seemingly pointlessly, chooses to remain in his post.
PANIC experimental, 6 min., 2021
Director Helen Ora
Producer Reinis Kalnaellis
Production company EGOGURU
At times soaring above the clouds, at times reaching the lowest of lows, I fight to survive and to find a place for myself.
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE fiction, 17 min., 2021
Director Armands Zacs
Producer Alise Gelze
Production company WHITE PICTURE
Two young men come to visit their friend in a remote country house, without even realizing that this is the last time the three of them will spend a day together.
– Estonia –
KOLMAPÄEV | WEDNESDAY fiction, 14 min., 2021
Director Eeva Magi
Producer Tiina Savi
Production company KARTULIÕIS
Jaanus spends the last day with his wife Karin at home. In the midst of common eiders, seagulls, fishing nets and summer breeze, they send Karin’s soul to the eternity. An everyday life full of bitter sweet love falls with the setting sun into the depths of the sea.
KYTE | POWER documentary, 11 min., 2021
Director Ivar Murd
Producer Margus Õunapuu
Production company ÕM
An experimental shale-oil essay starring people, industry, and nature. The sounds of music consist of industrial noise, with the image of the language they are transformed into a single entity.
NÄOTUVASTUS | FACE RECOGNITION animation, 7 min., 2021
Director Martinus Klemet
Producer Martinus Klemet
Production company ANIMARTINUS
Face Recognition failure – Deadbeat Igor-503 evades the cops detectors during a night of wild drinking.
