22-10-2020

FNE at Ji.hlava IDFF: Latvian Coyote

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    Latvian Coyote by Ivars Zviedris Latvian Coyote by Ivars Zviedris

    JIHLAVA: The acclaimed and prolific Latvian documentary filmmaker Ivars Zviedris will screen his film Latvian Coyote (previously titled The Smuggler) in the Between the Seas competition of the online edition of the 24th Ji.hlava IDFF, which runs 27 October – 8 November 2020.

    The film, set on the Latvian/Russian border, follows Aigar, a man in his 30s facing a personal crisis as he struggles to earn a living. He lives in a small village, has no education and no prospects for a decent job. Smuggling immigrants across the border becomes a source of profit for him.

    The other protagonist of the film is Aigar's girlfriend, Lolita. She is 20 years older and works as a librarian. The film follows their relationship as well as Aigar’s work as a smuggler during its three-year observational documentary shoot which began in March 2016.

    The producer is Marta Bite through the production company Documentarist. The project was selected for the Ex Oriente Film workshop in 2016 and the Baltic Sea Docs (2-10 September 2017).

    The budget is 85,900 EUR, Marta Bite told FNE. The film was supported by the National Film Center of Latvia and the Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia. It was acquired by Taskovski Films .

    Ivars Zviedris has won several national film awards in Latvia and his documentary Documentarian / Dokumentalista (2012) had a wide international release. He was one of the first documentary directors to begin work on a COVID-19 lockdown film.

    Production Information:

    Documentarist
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    Credits:
    Director: Ivars Zviedris
    DoP: Ivars Zviedris, Haralds Ozols