Aloiz Brench

Directing

Aloiz Brench

Born June 6, 1929 · Riga, Latvian Republic

Died October 29, 1998 · aged 69

The director who started the detective and thriller genre in Latvian cinema made his finest movies in the 1970s. In his work Brenčs accentuated the psychological motivation of the criminals and the causality of events. In a time when doubts were unacceptable, he allowed his characters to doubt, raising questions about personal choice and responsibility.

Known For

Keys to ParadiseKeys to Paradise · 1976
Keys to Paradise
★ 6.31976
MovieDramaMystery
Successful work and life of a brave militia captain who does not know much about human psychology.
The Triple ControlThe Triple Control · 1970
The Triple Control
★ 8.01970
MovieWar
A Soviet officer serves as a counterspy amidst enemies.
Gifts over the PhoneGifts over the Phone · 1978
Gifts over the Phone
★ 5.51978
MovieMysteryThriller
After the train conductor Pētersons receives money transfer from an unknown source, he suspects foul play involving the cargo he's transporting. He decides to do his own investigation into the matter, not realizing that he's putting himself and those around him in danger.
Double TrapDouble Trap · 1986
Double Trap
★ 5.81986
MovieDramaMystery
A police is trying to fight the criminal organization responsible for the illegal export of arts abroad. He pretends to be a criminal to enter and destroy their gang.
The Zitar FamilyThe Zitar Family · 1990
The Zitar Family
★ 5.01990
MovieDramaTV Movie
The epic film is based on the motifs of Vilis Lācis' novel "The Zītari Family". The tragedy of the Zītari family is a model of Latvian national history. With the beginning of World War I, the patriarchal way of life of Captain Andrejs and his wife Alvīne, their children Kārlis, Ings, Ernests, Elza and Janka changes, with years spent at work and in rare, modest celebrations. Kārlis voluntarily goes to the front, Ingus disappears without a trace on long sea voyages. Not wanting to live in the territory occupied by the German army, the Zītari evacuate to the distant Altai region. The unusually difficult living conditions and the drastically changing political situation of the post-revolutionary period also affect each member of the Zītari family. When the opportunity arises to return to Latvia, Andrejs and Alvīne are no longer among the living. The old sailor's nest has collapsed and the young Zītari are no longer able to preserve their father's house - all the property is stolen.
To Be UnwantedTo Be Unwanted · 1977
To Be Unwanted
★ 6.51977
MovieCrimeThriller
Valdemārs 'Voldis' Viters is released after seven years in prison. He is 46 years old and has no family or job. Some of his old friends have abandoned the life of crime, and policeman Leo Aleksandrs, as well as the beautiful taxi driver Irēna, try to persuade Voldis to forget the past and move on. But when the crime boss Teksis proposes a plan to rob a jewelry store, Voldis agrees, thinking this will be his last crime before starting a new life.
When Rain and Wind Hit Against Your WindowWhen Rain and Wind Hit Against Your Window · 1967
When Rain and Wind Hit Against Your Window
★ 10.01967
MovieCrimeMystery
The Second World War has just ended, but national partisans are still hiding in Latvia's forests and fighting against the Soviet regime. Ansis Leinasars, who has been tasked to spark a coup in Latvia, arrives by night from across the sea, but his work is hampered at every step. His last hope is a meeting with the partisans in a church...
Romance, Russian StyleRomance, Russian Style · 1994
Romance, Russian Style
★ 6.61994
MovieRomance
In Venice, the famous film actress Anna Zakharova meets the artist Mario. The meeting makes a lasting impression on the young man - he is in love. On her return to Russia, Anna is met with failure: she is removed from the role, breaks up with her lover-colleague. Desperate, the actress gives up everything and goes to Mario dying of passion, but during the sea voyage falls in love with the captain of the ship. Learning about it, Mario fails to control the car, gets into an accident and goes blind. All that is left for Anna, who feels guilty, is to go with him to the wedding...

Filmography

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The Zitar FamilyThe Zitar Family · 1990
The Zitar Family
★ 5.01990
MovieDramaTV Movie
The epic film is based on the motifs of Vilis Lācis' novel "The Zītari Family". The tragedy of the Zītari family is a model of Latvian national history. With the beginning of World War I, the patriarchal way of life of Captain Andrejs and his wife Alvīne, their children Kārlis, Ings, Ernests, Elza and Janka changes, with years spent at work and in rare, modest celebrations. Kārlis voluntarily goes to the front, Ingus disappears without a trace on long sea voyages. Not wanting to live in the territory occupied by the German army, the Zītari evacuate to the distant Altai region. The unusually difficult living conditions and the drastically changing political situation of the post-revolutionary period also affect each member of the Zītari family. When the opportunity arises to return to Latvia, Andrejs and Alvīne are no longer among the living. The old sailor's nest has collapsed and the young Zītari are no longer able to preserve their father's house - all the property is stolen.

Director

Without LegendsWithout Legends · 1967
Without Legends
1967
MovieDocumentary
In 1968 Herz Frank made Without Legends (Bez leģendām) at the Kuibishev studios, together with Aloizs Brenčs and Aleksandr Sazhin. The film is based on the memoirs of Hero of Socialist Labor Professor Ivan Vasilyevich Komzin, former head of construction of the V. I. Lenin Volga Hydroelectric Power Station; Hero of Socialist Labor excavator operator V. Klementyev; Honored excavator operator Viktor Vasilyevich Starikov; and writer Konstantin Kirillovich Lapin. Documentary filmmakers from Kuibyshev were making a film about the excavator operator and Hero of Socialist Labor, Boris Yegorovich Kovalenko. However, the material turned out to be too ambiguous to create a film about a model Soviet working man. They turned for advice to the Riga-based documentary filmmaker Herz Frank. He shot additional footage and edited the collected material in such a way that it became a story without legends—about an ordinary person.

Director