Riga IFF awards winners across film competitions

The Riga International Film Festival (Riga IFF) awarded bronze rooster statuettes to winners across feature, short, and music video competitions, with Sunniva Eira Tangvīka Kveima winning the top feature film prize for her debut, Nipster. It was reported that the 11-day festival evaluated 74 cinematic works and upcoming projects, drawing from the Baltic Sea region and international entries, featuring nine full-length feature films from the Baltic Sea region, 31 short films from Latvia and around the world, and 11 music videos showcasing the interaction between moving images and music by Baltic directors and musicians.

Riga IFF Feature Film Competition Winners and Jury Rationale

Sunniva Eira Tangvīka Kveima took home the Feature Film Competition award for Nipster. The jury praised the debut feature for exploring xenophobia, hate, and far-right politics through a provocative blend of thriller, found-family, and coming-of-age elements. The jury specifically highlighted the film’s examination of modern indoctrination and the power of observation through social media fragments and phone records.

Tīna Zariņa and Luka Galešičs Win Short Film Prizes

In the Short Film National Competition, Tīna Zariņa won the top prize, which the jury recognized for its fragile, honest, and sensitive portrayal of mortality, grief, and family relationships. An honorable mention in the national category went to Andrejs Brīvulis for Riga lines, a film praised for its visual journey through the streets of Riga.

For the Short Film International Competition, Luka Galešičs took home the main prize for Patch (Patch). The jury described the film as a claustrophobic, uncompromising look at the fragile relationship between a mother and daughter. Ronijs Šalevs received an honorable mention in the international shorts category for 2:Love, which the jury characterized as a visually striking and unconventional romance story, with the jury commenting: For the most extraordinary, visually effective and most shamelessly publicly told love story, we are awarding the Honorable Mention Award to Ronijs Šalevs’ “2:Love” at this year’s “Riga IFF” Short Film International Competition..

Musical Performances and Industry Partners Close the Festival

The awards ceremony featured musical performances by percussionist Artūrs Cukanovs and rapper galeniex, playing on the festival’s seasonal slogan, “You are here,” which invited audiences to celebrate not only the competition laureates but also the power of cinema to change the perspective from which we view the world. Alongside the main competition winners, the event recognized projects from the Riga IFF Forum sections, including Riga IFF Showcase and Short Riga Test Screenings.

Support for this year’s prizes came from industry partners including BBRental, BBPostHouse, Laik/a Casting, SWH, Lights On, and Studio BEEP. The festival screened nine Baltic Sea region feature films, 31 international and Latvian short films, and 11 music videos over its 11-day run.