Baltic Film Days 2025 Kicks Off with Free Screenings in Riga
The annual Baltic Film Days return to Riga from August 20 to August 21, offering free public screenings at the K.Suns cinema. According to the National Film Centre, the regional initiative brings together cultural institutions from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to strengthen cross-border cinematic cooperation and showcase contemporary works from neighboring territories.
Regional Collaboration and Cultural Heritage
Established in 2017 through a joint agreement between the National Film Centre, the Lithuanian Film Centre, and the Estonian Film Institute, Baltic Film Days traditionally run in late August to coincide with the Baltic Way. According to organizers, each participating country screens four films each year—two from each of its Baltic neighbors—with all presentations shown in their original languages accompanied by English subtitles and simultaneous translation into Latvian.
For the screenings in Riga, the program features a curated selection of recent titles and restored classics.
Lithuanian Cinema Showcase
Opening night on Wednesday, August 20, is designated as Lithuanian Day. The 18:00 screening features the 2024 comedy Southern Chronicles (Pietinia kronikas), directed by Ignas Miškinis and adapted from Rimantas Kmita’s novel. Set in Lithuania during the early 1990s, the film follows a teenager whose priorities shift from the black market and rugby to romance.
The second screening on August 20 at 20:30 presents Toxic (Akiplėša), the 2024 feature debut by director Saulė Bliuvaitė. The drama about two thirteen-year-old girls in an industrial town navigating a secretive modeling school won four awards at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and has since accumulated more than 30 awards and nominations.
Estonian Arthouse and Restored Classics
Thursday, August 21, marks Estonian Day at K.Suns, opening at 18:00 with the 1985 film Smile Please (Naerata ometi), directed by Arvo Iho and Leida Laius. According to the Estonian Film Institute, the feature was restored by the Latvian studio Locomotive Classics, and the restoration quality was evaluated at the Berlinale Classics program during the Berlin International Film Festival.
The closing screening on August 21 at 20:00 features director Marko Raat’s 2024 film The Eight Faces of Lake Biwa (Biwa järve 8 nägu). The film explores a closed fishing community on the shores of Lake Peipus in Estonia, drawing thematic parallels to Japan’s Lake Biwa through an atmosphere defined by whispered secrets and localized tragedy.