On 19-20 October, RIGA IFF in cooperation with the Kyiv Critics’ Week film festival is organising a discussion series on the topic of colonialism in film and media with the participation of international experts. These talks will tackle traits and mechanisms of colonialism in the media and festival structures from the perspective of Eastern European cinema.

Colonialism is increasingly discussed in the contexts of cinema and media, especially this year considering the escalation of Russian military aggression in Ukraine. This has gradually highlighted not only the colonisation of Ukrainian culture, but also of the connection between the Eastern European cultural space and the Russian Federation, formerly the Soviet Union. This has resulted in reflections on sometimes uncomfortable, but vital issues in the field.

The first discussion on 19 October will be dedicated to what we in Eastern Europe can do so that the media and its contents, especially outlets dedicated to culture and art, can be liberated from the logic of colonialism? Can cinema be considered a weapon of political and cultural diplomacy? How important is it to think about culture and art as political?

Entry –  free of charge with no prior registration necessary
Language – English, with no translation in Latvian

The live stream of the discussion will be available on the RIGA IFF website and the festival’s Facebook page, as well as on the LSM.lv portal

FOCUS ON UKRAINE is a project of the Goethe-Institut incorporated into a comprehensive package of measures for which the Federal Foreign Office provides funding from the 2022 Supplementary Budget to mitigate the effects of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.