09-02-2025

Maria's Silence and Flow Win at Latvian Lielais Kristaps Awards

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    Maria's Silence by Dāvis Sīmanis Maria's Silence by Dāvis Sīmanis credit: Mistrus Media

    RIGA: The historical drama Maria’s Silence by Dāvis Sīmanis and animated film Flow by Gints Zilbalodis won five awards each at the Latvian National Film Awards Lielais Kristaps, celebrating the best films of 2024.

    Maria’s Silence received the award for Best Feature Film and Best Director, among others, while the Oscar-nominated Flow was awarded Best Animated Film and Best Director of an Animated Film.

    Mutiny / Dumpi directed by Andrejs Ēķis won Best TV Series, while Podnieks par Podnieku. A Witness to History by Antra Cilinska and Anna Viduleja won Best Long Documentary.

    Director, screenwriter, producer and teacher Pēteris Krilovs was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

    The ceremony of the National Film Awards Lielais Kristaps was held on 4 February 2025.

    FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

    Best Feature Film:
    Maria’s Silence / Marijas klusums (Latvia, Lithuania)
    Directed by Dāvis Sīmanis
    Produced by Mistrus Media
    Coproduced by Broom Films
    Supported by the National Film Center of Latvia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, the Lithuanian Film Centre, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), missionLatvia, the Latvian Television, Creative Europe Development fund

    Best TV Series:
    Mutiny / Dumpi (Latvia)
    Directed by Andrejs Ēķis
    Produced by Cinevilla Films
    Coproduced by TET
    Supported by the National Film Center of Latvia, the REACT-EU Programme of the European Commission

    Best Director:
    Dāvis Sīmanis for Maria’s Silence / Marijas klusums (Latvia, Lithuania)

    Best Scriptwriter:
    Matīss Kaža for Flow / Straume (Latvia, Belgium, France)
    Directed by Gints Zilbalodis  
    Produced by Dream Well Studio
    Coproduced by Sacrebleu Productions, Take Five
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the French CNC, Eurimages, Radio Télévision Belge Francophone, the Belgian Tax Shelter, French regional funds

    Best Leading Actress:
    Olga Šepicka-Slapjuma in Maria’s Silence / Marijas klusums (Latvia, Lithuania)
    Directed by Dāvis Sīmanis

    Best Leading Actor:
    Andris Keišs in Touched by Eternity / Mūžības skartie (Latvia)
    Directed by Marcis Lacis
    Produced by Trickster Pictures
    Supported by the State Culture Capital Fund of Latvia

    Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
    Ilze Ķuzule-Skrastiņa in Asistente (Latvia), TV miniseries
    Directed by Alise Zariņa and Liene Linde
    Produced by Ego Media

    Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
    Ģirts Ķesteris in Maria’s Silence / Marijas klusums (Latvia, Lithuania)
    Directed by Dāvis Sīmanis

    Best Debut Film:
    My 80th Spring / Mani 80 pavasari (Latvia) Documentary
    Directed by Agnese Laizāne
    Produced by K Films

    Best Animated Film:
    Flow / Straume (Latvia, Belgium, France)
    Directed by Gints Zilbalodis  

    Best Long Documentary:
    Podnieks par Podnieku. A Witness to History (Latvia)
    Directed by Antra Cilinska and Anna Viduleja
    Produced by Juris Podnieks Studio

    Best Short Fiction Film:
    Tukšuma aicinājums (Latvia)
    Flow by Gints Zilbalodis, image courtesy Dream Well StudioDirected by Jānis Ābele

    Best Documentary Short Film:
    Latvijas kods. Caur bērna acīm (Latvia)
    Directed by Gerda Jirgena

    Best Documentary Director:
    Ivars Zviedris for Faithful unto Death / Esi uzticīgs līdz nāvei (Latvia)
    Produced by BIEDRĪBA "DOKUMENTĀLISTS"

    Best Cinematography:
    Jurģis Kmins for Five and a Half Love Stories in an Apartment in Vilnius, Lithuania / 5 ½ meilės istorijos viename Vilniaus bute (Lithuania, Ireland, Latvia)
    Directed by Tomas Vengris 
    Produced by Studio Uljana Kim
    Coproduced by Tiger Darling Productions, Studio Locomotive
    Supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre, the National Film Centre of Latvia

    Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film:
    Valdis Celmiņš and Mārcis Slavinskis for To Be Continued. Teenhood. / Turpinājums. Pieaugšana (Latvia)
    Directed by Ivars Seleckis and Armands Začs
    Produced by Mistrus Media
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia

    Best Director of an Animated Film:
    Gints Zilbalodis for Flow / Straume (Latvia, Belgium, France)

    Best Editing:
    Sandra Alksne for Podnieks par Podnieku. A Witness to History (Latvia)
    Directed by Antra Cilinska and Anna Viduleja

    Best Original Music:
    Rihards Zaļups for Flow / Straume (Latvia, Belgium, France)
    Directed by Gints Zilbalodis  

    Best Sound:
    Gurval Koik-Gallas for Flow / Straume (Latvia, Belgium, France)
    Directed by Gints Zilbalodis

    Best Costumes:
    Kristīne Jurjāne, Rūta Kuplā and Aija Strazdiņa for Maria’s Silence / Marijas klusums (Latvia, Lithuania)
    Directed by Dāvis Sīmanis

    Best Make-up Artist:
    Santa Sandule for Touched by Eternity / Mūžības skartie (Latvia)
    Directed by Marcis Lacis

    Best Production Design:
    Laura Dišlere for The Exalted / Cildenie (Latvia, Estonia, Greece)
    Directed by Juris Kursietis 
    Produced by White Picture
    Coproduced by Stellar Film, Asterisk*
    Supported by  Creative Europe MEDIA, the National Film Centre of Latvia, the State Culture Fund of Latvia, the Estonian Film Institute, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the Greek Film Centre

    Best Animation Artist:
    Zane Oborenko for Kafka. In Love / Kafka. Iemīlējies (Latvia), Short film
    Directed by Zane Oborenko

    Best Student Film:
    Luna (Latvia)
    Directed by Amanda Grīnberga
    Produced by LKA Nacionālā Filmu skola

    LSM.lv Audience Award:
    Flow / Straume (Latvia, Belgium, France)
    Directed by Gints Zilbalodis  

    Lifetime Achievement Award:
    Pēteris Krilovs