The mission of RIGA IFF is to create an internationally recognised cinema event that promotes Riga, enriches the northern European cultural space, and advocates for the development of an intelligent, open and active society.
The Riga International Film Festival was established in 2014, and has quickly become one of Latvia’s premier cultural events. It is a celebration of cinema that introduces the international film industry to the current body of work coming out of the Baltic Sea region and the Nordic countries, and in turn, introduces local audiences to the latest happenings in world cinema. The festival advances public interest in current events taking place in the contemporary cinema landscape, and encourages dialogue between viewers and filmmakers.
In the RIGA IFF programme, contemporary cinema meets the classics, and assertive debut works mingle with festival hits. Moreover, the industry section of the festival provides a platform for film professionals from around the world in which to develop sustainable collaborations as well as discuss the future challenges facing the world of film.
The professional jury presiding over the festival’s international competitions for feature-length films, short films and music videos salutes uniquely expressive filmmakers and works that communicate new trends and advances in the language of cinema.
– RIGA IFF FEATURE FILM COMPETITION –
The competition programme showcases films from the Baltic Sea region and the Nordic countries that are characterised by their use of innovative cinematic language and distinct artistic expression. The 10 films that are ultimately selected for the competition form a present-day contemplation on the cinema of tomorrow. The selected titles will be judged by an international jury consisting of industry experts, filmmakers, and representatives from the international film festival community. The winning director will receive the Golden Rooster, designed in collaboration with artist Ervins Broks. The winner also receives a monetary prize of EUR 4,000. The Award Ceremony takes place on the second Saturday of the festival.
– SHORT FILM INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION (European Film Awards qualifying) –
The RIGA IFF Short Film International Competition seeks to highlight new auteur films of various genres and techniques from all over the world. The festival’s curators will select up to 25 of the most interesting submissions to screen at the festival and be judged by an international jury consisting of industry experts, filmmakers, and representatives from the international film festival community. The film that generates the greatest passion and the liveliest discussions about the very essence of cinema will receive a specially designed award and a monetary prize of EUR 2,000. The jury selects a single candidate for the European Short Film 2024 Award from the films screened in the RIGA IFF Short Film National and International Competitions.
– SHORT FILM NATIONAL COMPETITION (European Film Awards qualifying) –
Whether they are animated, narrative, documentary, or experimental, the Short Film National competition is looking for short films with a distinct voice made in Latvia in 2022 or later. The competition is judged by an international jury to ensure that the unique features of Latvian-made films are acknowledged in a broader perspective. In the opinion of RIGA IFF, every film included in the Competition is already a winner. The film that generates the greatest passion and the liveliest discussions about the very essence of cinema will receive a specially designed award and a monetary prize of EUR 1,000. The jury selects a single candidate for the European Short Film 2024 Award from the films screened in the RIGA IFF Short Film National and International Competitions.
– BALTIC MUSIC VIDEO COMPETITION –
The BALTIC MUSIC VIDEO Competition (BMV) endeavours to uphold the belief that the music video is an independent and powerful short format in its own right. The RIGA IFF curators seek out videos that challenge the audience and push the boundaries of format, contents, and artistic expression. The screening of this programme is designed as a special event in itself – it is a lively meeting between music video creators, musicians and composers, curators, the members of the international jury, and the audience. A specially designed award and a monetary prize of EUR 1,000 will be presented to the winner of the competition during the RIGA IFF Award Ceremony.
