17-11-2020

FNE at 2020 Latvian National Film Awards: Blizzard of Souls Leads with Six Awards

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    Latvian National Film Awards 2020 Latvian National Film Awards 2020 photo: Agnese Zeltiņa

    RIGA: The historical coming of age drama Blizzard of Souls / Dvēseļu putenis directed by Dzintars Dreibergs, produced by Kultfilma, received the highest number of Latvian National Film Awards (Lielais Kristaps). The ceremony was broadcast on Latvian Television on 15 November. Blizzard of Souls was the record-breaking film of Latvian box office in 2019, and has also been distributed internationally.

    Blizzard of Souls received the main awards for feature films – it was recognised as the best film and got the awards for best director and best fiction feature cinematography (Valdis Celmiņš), as well as best original music (Lolita Ritmanis), best editing (Gatis Belogrudovs), and best make-up artist (Dzintra Bijubena). 

    The film The Sign Painter / Pilsēta pie upes, which led the nominations, received 4 awards: both acting awards (best acting for the lead actor Dāvis Suharevskis and best supporting acting for Czech actress Brigita Cmuntová), best scriptwriter award for the film’s director and scriptwriter Viesturs Kairišs, and the best sound award.

    Ivars Zviedris’ Latvian Coyote / Valkātājs was awarded the best feature documentary and best documentary cinematography prizes. The animation category was led by Ilze Burkovska-Jacobsen’s My Favourite War / Mans mīļākais karš, which received best animation film and best animation directing award.

    Cinematographer Kalvis Zalcmanis was awarded with the lifetime achievement award.

    The films were judged by an international jury comprised of Aija Bērziņa (Film Producers Association of Latvia), Kaspars Braķis (Latvian Guild of Cinematographers), Elita Kļaviņa (actress and director, Latvia), Rolandas Kvietkauskas (former head of the Lithuanian Film Centre, Lithuania), Arunas Matelis (director and producer, Lithuania), Juris Poškuss (director, Latvia), and Ieva Viese-Vigule (FIPRESCI Latvia).

    The festival ran from 12 to 15 November online, which was due to the new restrictions applied for public events.

    The National Film Awards are organised by the Latvian Filmmakers’ Union, with the support of the National Film Centre of Latvia and Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.

    FULL LIST OF AWARD WINNERS

    Best Fiction Feature Film:
    Blizzard of Souls / Dvēseļu putenis (Latvia)
    Directed by Dzintars Dreibergs
    Produced by Kultfilma

    Best Feature Documentary:
    Dzintars Dreibergs - recipient of the Best Fiction Feature Director award for the film Blizzard of Souls, photo: Agnese ZeltiņaLatvian Coyote / Valkātājs (Latvia)
    Directed by Ivars Zviedris
    Produced by Dokumentālists

    Best Short Documentary:
    The First Bridge / Pirmais tilts
    Directed by Laila Pakalniņa
    Produced by Kompānija Hargla

    Best Animation:
    My Favourite War / Mans mīļākais karš (Latvia, Norway)
    Directed by Ilze Burkovska-Jākobsena
    Produced by Ego Media (Latvia), Bivrost Film (Norway)

    Best debut:
    The Shift / Maiņa
    Directed by Reinis Kalviņš
    Produced by Mistrus Media
    Coproduced by Picture House

    Best script:
    Viesturs Kairišs for The Sign Painter / Pilsēta pie upes

    Best director:
    Dzintars Dreibergs for Blizzard of Souls / Dvēseļu putenis

    Best cinematography in feature film:
    Valdis Celmiņš for Blizzard of Souls / Dvēseļu putenis

    Jury special mention for the best cinematography in feature film category :
    Andrejs Rudzāts What Silent Gerda Knows / Ko zina klusā Gerda

    Best acting:
    Dāvis Suharevskis for The Sign Painter / Pilsēta pie upes

    Best supporting acting:
    Brigita Cmuntová for The Sign Painter / Pilsēta pie upes

    Best art direction:
    Jurģis Krāsons for What Silent Gerda Knows / Ko zina klusā Gerda

    Best costumes:
    Keita for What Silent Gerda Knows / Ko zina klusā Gerda

    Best make-up:
    Dzintra Bijubena for Blizzard of Souls / Dvēseļu putenis

    Best documentary director:
    Liene Linde, Armands Začs for Klātbūtne / Mothers and Others

    Best cinematography of documentary:
    Haralds Ozols, Ivars Zviedris for Latvian Coyote / Valkātājs

    Best animation director:
    Ilze Burkovska-Jakobsena for My Favourite War / Mans mīļākais karšTeam of Blizzard of Souls with the awards, photo: Agnese Zeltiņa

    Best animation artist:
    Kārlis Vītols for Swan Maiden / Gulbju jaunava

    Best original music:
    Lolita Ritmanis for Blizzard of Souls / Dvēseļu putenis

    Best sound:
    Ludvík K. Bohadlo, Robert Slezák for The Sign Painter / Pilsēta pie upes

    Best editing:
    Gatis Belogrudovs Blizzard of Souls / Dvēseļu putenis