Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF, 17–27 October) has begun! Tonight, 17 October, with interviews on the black carpet, festive speeches, and energetic thumps of heavy metal in the world premiere of the impressive music film TESA MAN, will see the opening night of the most lavish film event in Latvia. Over 11 days and nights till 27 October, film lovers are invited to become part of the annual celebration of cinema, selecting their favourites from 120 films and 100 screenings, and giving in to a whirlpool of carefully selected, refined films. Tickets to RIGA IFF screenings are available on the festival’s website (rigaiff.lv), at Biļešu Serviss sales points, as well as in person, at the RIGA IFF information centre next to the festival’s main venue, cinema Splendid Palace.

“In its first ten years, RIGA IFF has become a mainstay of the second half of October not only in Riga and Latvia, but also in a much wider context – that of Europe and the world. The festival team brings major pieces of cinema and industry representatives from all over the world to Riga, at the same time screening the newest and in-progress works from Latvia to festival guests. Thanks to our audiences and filmmakers, these 11 days in Riga are truly taken over by the film festival,”

reports festival director Liene Treimane. Entering the festival’s second decade – its 11th edition –, RIGA IFF reminds the spectators to not miss out on the tremendous film event, attended by more than 26,000 film enthusiasts annually in both in-person screenings and online. Over 11 cinema-filled days and nights, RIGA IFF will invite the audiences to an unforgettable filmgoing experience – screenings with filmmaker participation, significant world and national premieres, insightful after-film conversations, and the sense of community that characterizes the art of cinema, revealing and reminding us of the scope and importance of the moving image in our day-to-day lives.

Embodying this edition’s motto “Witnessing the World of Another”, the carefully selected films invite to give in to universes coming alive on the cinema screens. From dazzling new offerings from Hollywood, favourites from the world’s major film festivals, and the newest from acclaimed authors, to promising debuts, celebratory premieres of Latvian films, and true gems of contemporary cinema, the lineup of films will be a chance for anyone to find a suitable screening and yet undiscovered world – from the youngest to most experienced filmgoers. Festival Artistic Director Sonora Broka describes the RIGA IFF vast programme, comprised of different forms, lengths, genres, and styles:

“This year’s programme brings together more than 120 units of storytelling, universes, aesthetic swirls, and empathetic exercises. With each one, it is an opportunity to discover either something completely new, or find oneself in a film, hearing what we’d otherwise miss in the everyday noise.”

For the ease of filmgoers, this year, too, in collaboration with the media and technology company Tet, the festival will feature an information centre next to its main venue, cinema Splendid Palace. The welcoming space will be a place to not only learn more about the festival programme, but also purchase RIGA IFF merchandise and tickets to screenings. Tickets are also available on the festival’s website (rigaiff.lv) and at Biļešu Serviss sales points. To make the festival visit enjoyable for spectators of all ages, special discounts and family-friendly offers are also available.

To help find the most suitable films among the vast programme of RIGA IFF 11th edition, screening guides will be available at cinemas Splendid Palace and Forum Cinemas, as well as at venues throughout Riga. The festival’s digital catalogue is available on the festival’s website, rigaiff.lv, it also features a special Festival Guide section, listing film selections by theme.

RIGA IFF’s main partner is the media and technology company Tet. The festival is made possible with the support of the State Culture Capital Foundation, EU programme “Creative Europe – MEDIA”, Riga City Council, and the National Film Centre of Latvia.