28-02-2023

January Awarded Best Latvian Feature Film of 2022 at Lielais Kristaps Awards

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    January Awarded Best Latvian Feature Film of 2022 at Lielais Kristaps Awards credit: Giants Ivuškāns

    RIGA: Viesturs Kairišs' coming-of age-drama January / Janvāris received five awards, including Best Feature Film and Best Actor in a Leading Role, at the Latvian national film awards Lielais Kristaps, which were announced on 26 February 2023.

    January was also awarded for editing, production design and costumes. Kairišs' film topped the box office admissions for domestic films in 2022 with 35,267 admissions.

    Linda Olte's debut feature Sisters / Māsas received two awards, for directing and actress in a supporting role, while Troubled Minds / Nemierīgie prāti by Raitis Ābele and Lauris Ābele scored in the categories of best supporting actor and best composer.

    New York-based Latvian animator's Signe Baumane’s second long animated film My Love Affair with Marriage / Mans laulību projekts received three awards: for best animated film as well as best directing and production design in the category of animation.

    Marija Luīze Meļķe was awarded Best Actress in Neon Spring / Neona pavasaris by Matīss Kaža, but she refused to accept the award until the civil union law is be adopted.

    WINNERS:

    Best Feature Film:
    January / Janvāris (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland)
    Directed by Viesturs Kairišs
    Produced by Mistrus Media
    Coproduced by ArtboxStaron Film
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, the Lithuanian Film Centre, the Polish Film Institute, Eurimages, Latvijas Mobilais TelefonsLatvian TelevisionLatvian FoundationCulture and Sports Department of the Riga City Council

    Best TV Series:
    Criminal Case for a Beginner / Krimināllieta iesācējam (Latvia, Lithuania, Russia)
    Directed by Armands Zvirbulis
    Produced by Red Dot Media
    Coproduced by INSCRIPT, ChBK Films

    Best Director:
    Linda Olte for Sisters (Latvia, Italy)
    Produced by Trickster Pictures
    Coproduced by Fenixfilm, Albolina Film
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, IDM South Tyrol, Eurimages

    Best Scriptwriter:
    Juris Kursietis, Matīss Gricmanis, Līga Celma-Kursiete, Armands Zvirbulis for Criminal Case for a Beginner

    Best Actress:
    Marija Luīze Meļķe for Neon Spring / Neona pavasaris (Latvia)
    Directed by Matīss Kaža
    Produced by Trickster Pictures
    Supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation, the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Riga City Council, Go3

    Best Actor:
    Kārlis Arnolds Avots for January

    Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
    Iveta Pole for Sisters

    Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
    Toms Auniņš for Troubled Minds / Nemierīgie prāti (Latvia)
    Directed by Raitis Ābele, Lauris Ābele
    Produced by Tritone Studio
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia

    Best Debut Film:
    Meanwhile in Lucavsala / Tikmēr Lucavsalā (Latvia)
    Directed by Elza Gauja
    Produced by Riverbed
    Coproduced by the Latvian Television
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia

    Best Animation Film:
    My Love Affair with Marriage (Latvia, USA, Luxembourg)
    Directed by Signe Baumane
    Produced by Studio Locomotive
    Coproduced by The Marriage Project LLC, Antevita Films
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, Film Fund Luxembourg, New York State Council on the Arts, New York’s Governor’s Office of Motion Picture and Television Development, the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre, BBPostHouse Riga, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, H. O. Peet Foundation, Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Ravenal Foundation Grant of New York Women in Film & Television, Creative Europe MEDIA

    Best Documentary:
    My Mother the State / Mana māte valsts (Latvia, Iceland)
    Directed by  Ieva Ozoliņa
    Produced by Fa Filma, Republik

    Special Mention for Documentary:
    Before the Light / Svārstības (Latvia)
    Directed by Kristīne Briede
    Produced by Baltic Balkan Productions, Rucka Art fund

    Best Short Film:
    First Steps / Pirmie soļi (Latvia)
    Directed by Pauls Ķesteris
    Produced by Mima Films, National Film School of Latvia

    Best Documentary Short Film:
    81 metres / 81 metrs (Latvia)
    Directed by Jānis Ābele
    Produced by Chaland Films

    Best Documentary Director:
    Ivars Seleckis for The Land / Zemnieki (Latvia)
    Produced by Mistrus Media
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Latvian Television

    Best Cinematography:
    Aleksandrs Grebņevs for The Taste of Water / Ūdens garša (Latvia)
    Directed by Matīss Kaža
    Produced by Deep Sea Studios

    Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film:
    Gints Bērziņš for Homes / Mājas (Latvia)
    Directed by Laila Pakalnina
    Produced by Hargla Company
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia

    Best Director of an Animated Film:
    Signe Baumane for My Love Affair with Marriage

    Best Production Design of an Animated Film:
    Signe Baumane for My Love Affair with Marriage

    Best Editing:
    Armands Začs for January

    Best Production Design:
    Ieva Jurjāne for January

    Best Composer:
    Platons Buravickis, Juan Hernandez for Troubled Minds

    Best Sound:
    Aleksandrs Vaicahovskis for Neon Spring

    Best Costumes:
    Rūta Lečaite for January

    Best Make-up Artist:
    Maija Gundare for Samuel's Travels / Sema ceļojumi (Latvia, Belgium)
    Directed by Aik Karapetian
    Produced by Mistrus Media
    Coproduced by Polar Bear
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Belgian Tax Shelter

    Best Student Film:
    My Neighbour Killed My Cat / Mans kaimiņš nosita manu kaķi (Latvia)
    Directed by Reinis Ūbelis
    Produced by National Film School of Latvia, Griffonmark