Juris Pakalniņš

The late 1950s. Every night, Soviet tractors comb the coast of Latvia looking for signs of anyone who could have infiltrated the Soviet border from the sea. One morning, three Soviet patrolmen discover a woman’s shoe in the sand and footsteps leading to the quaint little village of Liepaja.

This investigative documentary explores the methods through which Russia influences the domestic policy of the Baltic States – by dividing the local community, promoting nostalgia for the Soviet Union and dismissing the recovered independence of the Baltic States.

An absurdist farce centering around a school in post-Soviet Latvia. After a rather disgusting prank (someone defecates in the school attic), the tyrannical headmistress deems that no one can leave until the culprit is caught. When the photographer's pet python escapes, havok breaks loose.

A group of boys go on their daily adventures while also facing many dangerous situations.

Little Anna is waiting for her first Christmas.

A group of boys go on their daily adventures while also facing many dangerous situations.

We literally found our film next to a dumpster. It was a bag containing 36 rolls of photographic negatives exposed between the 1960s and 1980s by an unknown photographer. We named him Anton, Aunt Emma's son. Looking through our contact sheets, with their many inaccuracies—blurred edges, random elements in the frame, haze, accidents, and double exposures—we tried to imagine what our lives would be like if these were our photos.

A group of boys go on their daily adventures while also facing many dangerous situations.