03-03-2026

Red Code Blue and Escape Net Lead Latvian National Film Awards “Lielais Kristaps” 2026

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    Director Dzintars Dreibergs and the team of Escape Net receiving Best Feature Award Director Dzintars Dreibergs and the team of Escape Net receiving Best Feature Award credit: Ieva Leniša LETA

    RIGA: The 90s crime drama Red Code Blue and the Soviet-era sports drama Escape Net are the most awarded films at the Latvian National Film Awards “Lielais Kristaps”, held 1 March 2026 at the Riga Congress Centre. In total, awards were presented in 25 categories.

    Red Code Blue and Escape Net emerged as the most awarded films of the ceremony, with five awards each: Red Code Blue winning Best Film, and Escape Net securing the Best Feature Film award. Three awards went to the rotoscoped animation Dog of God, which was previously nominated for the European Film Awards and submitted for the Academy Awards, as well as to the coming-of-age dramedy Flesh, Blood, Even a Heart.

    This year, a total of 85 films were considered for nomination: six feature films, five TV series, 11 minority coproductions, 14 short fiction films, 11 long documentaries, eight short documentaries, three animated films (including one long animated film), and 27 student films.

    The nominees were selected by two committees (one for fiction and animation, and one for documentary), composed of experienced film professionals, including film directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, film critics, and researchers.

    The laureates were chosen by an international jury of film and audiovisual professionals: Ilka Matila (film producer, Finland), Marge Liiske (Head of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, Estonia), Juris Poškus (film director, Latvia), Maria Razgute (film producer, Lithuania), Zane Valeniece (Head of Acquisitions, the Latvian Television), and Guna Zariņa (actress, Latvia).

    Co-producer Sergejs Timonins and production assistant Liva Vernere receiving the Best Film Award for Red Code Blue, photo by Ieva Lenisa LETAThis year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to stuntman Uldis Veispals, who was among the first to develop the profession in Latvia and the Baltics.

    Established in 1977, “Lielais Kristaps” is organised by the Latvian Cinematographers’ Union.

    FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

    Best Film:
    Red Code Blue / Tumšzilais Evaņģēlijs (Latvia)
    Directed by Oskars Rupenheits
    Produced by KEF Studio 
    Coproduced by Vino Films, Juris Podnieks Studio 
    Supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Latvian Mobile Telephone, the Latvian Television, DEPO, Vino Films

    Best Feature Film:
    Escape Net / Tīklā. TTT leģendas dzimšana (Latvia)
    Directed by Dzintars Dreibergs
    Produced by Kultfilma
    Supported by ERAF React EU, Creative Europe MEDIA, DEPO

    Best Short Fiction Film:
    Slush / Žļurga (Latvia)
    Directed by Jēkabs Okonovs, Aivars Šaicāns

    Best Long Documentary:
    All Birds Sing Beautifully / Visi putni skaisti dzied (Latvia)
    Directed by Kirsta Burāne
    Produced by VFS Films 
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia

    Best TV Series:
    Collective (2nd season) / Kolektīvs (Latvia)
    Directed by Juris Kursietis, Ance Strazda, Rūdolfs Gediņš, Artūrs Zeps, Jānis Ābele, Roberts Kuļenko
    Produced by fon films, the Latvian Mobile Telephone 
    Coproduced by the Latvian Television 
    Supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Education, Culture, and Sports Department of Riga City Council

    Best Minority Coproduction:
    Solomamma (Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, and Finland)
    Directed by Janicke Askevold
    Produced by Bacon Pictures
    Coproduced by Mistrus Media 
    Supported by the Norwegian FilmInstitute, the Oslo Film Commission, the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Lithuanian Film Centre, the Finnish Impact Film Fund

    Best Debut Film:
    Rider’s Voice / Jātnieka balss (Latvia)
    Directed by Iveta Auniņa
    Produced by Skuba Films
    Supported by TV3 Group, Go3, Bite Latvia

    Best Student Film:
    My First Funeral / Manas pirmās bēres (Latvia)
    Directed by Līva Klepere

    Best Scriptwriters:
    Ivo Briedis, Raitis Ābele, Lauris Ābele, Harijs Grundmanis for Dog of God (Latvia, USA)
    Directed by Lauris Ābele, RaitisĀbele
    Produced by Tritone Studio 
    Coproduced by Lumiere Lab
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, ERDF REACT-EU

    Best Fiction Director:
    Oskars Rupenheits for Red Code Blue / Tumšzilais Evaņģēlijs (Latvia)

    Best Fiction Cinematographer:
    Mārtiņš Jurevics for Lotus (Latvia, Lithuania)
    Directed by Signe Birkova
    Produced by Studio Locomotive 
    Coproduced by Studio Uljana Kim
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Lithuanian Film Centre, Eurimages

    Best Leading Actress:
    Agnese Budovska in Escape Net / Tīklā. TTT leģendas dzimšana (Latvia)
    Directed by Dzintars Dreibergs

    Best Leading Actor:
    Raitis Stūrmanis in Red Code Blue / Tumšzilais Evaņģēlijs (Latvia)
    Directed by Oskars Rupenheits

    Best Supporting Actress:
    Leonarda Ķestere-Kļaviņa in Flesh, Blood, Even a Heart / Nospiedumi (Latvia)
    Directed by Alise Zariņa
    Produced by Mima Films
    Supported bythe National Film Centre of Latvia

    Best Supporting Actor:
    Gatis Maliks in Flesh, Blood, Even a Heart / Nospiedumi (Latvia)
    Directed by Alise Zariņa

    Best Production Design:
    Toms Jansons for Red Code Blue / Tumšzilais Evaņģēlijs (Latvia)
    Directed by Oskars Rupenheits

    Best Costumes:
    Sandra Sila for Escape Net / Tīklā. TTT leģendas dzimšana (Latvia)
    Directed by Dzintars Dreibergs

    Best Makeup:
    Elīna Gaugere for Red Code Blue / Tumšzilais Evaņģēlijs (Latvia)
    Directed by Oskars Rupenheits

    Best Documentary Film Directors:
    Elizabete Gricmane, Ramune Rakauskaite for Art Born in Agony / Mākslas darbi rodas mokās (Latvia, Lithuania)
    Produced by VFS Films 
    Coproduced by Studio Nominum
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Lithuanian Film Centre, LATGA, LRT, the Latvian Television, the Latvian Mobile Telephone

    Best Cinematography for a Documentary:
    Māris Maskalāns for Scarecrows / Putnubiedēkļi (Latvia, Lithuania)
    Directed by Laila Pakalniņa
    Produced by VFS Films 
    Coproduced by Moonmakers
    Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Lithuanian Film Centre, LATGA, LRT, the Latvian Television

    Best Animated Film Directors:
    Raitis Ābele, Lauris Ābele for Dog of God (Latvia, USA)

    Best Artist for an Animated Film:
    Harijs Grundmanis for Dog of God (Latvia, USA)
    Directed by Lauris Ābele, Raitis Ābele

    The team of Red Code Blue, awardee portrait by Girts RagelisBest Original Music:
    Paulius Kilbauskas, Vygintas Kisevičius for Scarecrows (Latvia, Lithuania)
    Directed by Laila Pakalniņa

    Best Sound:
    Aleksandrs Vaicahovskis for Escape Net / Tīklā. TTT leģendas dzimšana (Latvia)
    Directed by Dzintars Dreibergs

    Best Editing Director:
    Armands Začs for Flesh, Blood, Even a Heart / Nospiedumi (Latvia)
    Directed by Alise Zariņa

    "Lielais Kristaps" LSM.lv Audience Award:
    Escape Net / Tīklā. TTT leģendas dzimšana (Latvia)
    Directed by Dzintars Dreibergs

    Lifetime Achievement Award:
    Stuntman Uldis Jānis Veispals