The program will feature a selection of Latvian and Lithuanian feature films from the past year, as well as a documentary and a program of short films. Selected screenings will be followed by meetings with the filmmakers, offering audiences an opportunity to discuss the films' themes in greater depth and hear the filmmakers share their knowledge and experience.

The event will also take place simultaneously in Latvia and Lithuania, celebrating the cultural distinctiveness of the Baltic states and marking the anniversary of the Baltic Way.

"The Visitor"
Director: Vytautas Katkus

As summer comes to an end in Šventoji, the Lithuanian seaside town draws its last warm breath. Danielius, a new father, leaves his family life in Norway behind and returns to Lithuania to sell his late parents' apartment. He reconnects with childhood friends, their relatives and new residents. He wanders alone through the forest, settling into quiet routines, candid conversations and playful games in nearly deserted places where few words are spoken. Everything here has changed.

It feels as though director Vytautas Katkus merely glanced at the screenplay before setting it aside and improvising. Shooting on 16 mm film, he captures poetic moments with friends, most of whom are not actors. "The Visitor" drifts along in the irreversible flow of time and undoubtedly deserves to be seen more than once.

"Flesh, Blood, Even a Heart"
Director: Alise Zariņa

When you think positively, the universe responds. This gentle, feel-good coming-of-age dramedy for 30-somethings follows Liv, a passionate woman struggling with body insecurities. She carries her past lightly and never judges others. She loves water flowers and has a soft spot for poodles, despite never having owned a dog. Once, Liv dreamed of being a Barbie and still hopes her loving, somewhat old-fashioned husband finds her irresistible, even if their kisses are few and far between. 

Everything changes when Liv receives a sudden call: her estranged father is in a coma and undergoing intensive therapy. Her awkward, cynical mother remains stuck in the past with rigid rules and sees the stroke as a random attempt to escape. Liv wants to speak to her father, but each visit leaves her lost in the maze-like corridors of the brutalist hospital.

"Dog of God"
Directors: Raitis Abele, Lauris Ābele

It seems our southern neighbors have really hit their stride when it comes to animation. While their "Flow" captivated mass audiences and even the American Academy, the Ābele brothers' nightmarish offering is aimed primarily at genre fans and anyone with a taste for more perverse humor that pushes the boundaries of good taste. And there is plenty of it here — a great deal, in fact!

The film is set in the village of Zaube in Livonia in the late 17th century where everyone seems to be gripped by an inexplicable delirium, awaiting the arrival of evil. A witch trial culminates in the testimony of an old man branded a werewolf who claims he travels to hell to battle the devil and his witches in order to ensure a good harvest. But this bodes well for no one.

"Renovation"
Director: Gabriele Urbonaite

Translator Ilona and tour guide Matas plan to move in together after two years as a couple. They move into a new apartment just as renovations begin on the building. The constant drilling and hammering soon become exhausting.

Ilona's sharp-tongued mother visits to voice her disappointment over her daughter's unfulfilled potential, comparing her with former classmate Laura who has earned a doctorate and is now engaged. Ilona could have made many different choices. She resents Matas reminding her that she will soon turn 30 and dodges any talk of marriage.

One sunny day, Oleg, a Ukrainian construction worker, unexpectedly enters Ilona's life via the neighboring apartment's balcony and changes it profoundly. A painter before the war, Oleg knows the work of Lithuania's most famous artist and composer, Čiurlionis. Hoping to impress him, Ilona pretends to be a poet. Their encounters become more frequent and the air fills with unspoken attraction. Oleg tells Ilona that if she truly loves Matas, she should talk to him.

"A Goodnight Kiss"
Director: Giedrė Žickytė

Following her widely acclaimed film "The Jump," Giedrė Žickytė returns with her most heartfelt documentary to date. It is impossible to remain indifferent to the story of Irena Veisaitė. She was a writer, human rights activist and one of Lithuania's most perceptive and wise women who warned of the wars that continue to shape our world today.

A Holocaust survivor, Irena lost her parents and found refuge with a Christian family during the Soviet occupation of Lithuania. She died in 2020 while the film was in pre-production. Her death prompted Žickytė to seek new ways to bring to life Irena's moving memories of her two mothers, her lifelong friendship with Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and her guiding principle: to live without revenge or hatred.

Exploring Irena's story through archival footage, photographs and old interviews inspired Žickytė to uncover previously untold stories of Jewish Vilnius, once known as the Jerusalem of the North.

"Red Code Blue"
Director: Oskars Rupenheits

This independently produced crime drama authentically transports viewers back to the dangerous, frantic and uncertain 1990s. Riga is consumed by lawlessness and chaos, marked by high-stakes chases, intense interrogations and shootouts between rival gangs, reckless punks, corrupt agents and ruthless cops. In this harsh world, honesty and loyalty are punished without hesitation.

Young and idealistic investigator Romans Skulte struggles from his very first shift to find his footing in the brutal, cold labyrinth of newly independent Latvia. Drug traffickers and violent gangsters rule the desolate streets under the covert protection of high-ranking officials. Those who show initiative pay a heavy price. Young cadets quickly learn that trust is a liability, even among close friends, as traitors and informants lurk at every turn.

Cunning Georgian smugglers are deeply entrenched in a frightened society, while an aggressive Armenian mafia fearlessly stakes its claim. This slow-burn police thriller is packed with nerve-wracking heists, betrayals, extortions, bribes and relentless pursuits. All characters are fictional, though inspired by real-life investigations. In his debut lead role, Raitis Sturmanis brings to mind a young Charlie Sheen.

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