From 28 April, the Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF, 15–25 October) opens submissions for the RIGA IFF Baltic Music Video Competition. Until 30 June, bold, innovative and experimental music videos from the Baltic states are invited to apply. Selected works will compete this October for the Bronze Rooster statuette and prizes from festival partners.

In its ongoing search for an answer to the question “What is a music video?”, the RIGA IFF Baltic Music Video Competition each year navigates an ever-evolving creative landscape, where the untamed spirit of interaction between image and music comes to life. The selected works continually push the boundaries of form, content, and artistic expression, while the competition screening itself serves as a dynamic meeting point for the audience and the Baltic music and audiovisual arts community.

Introducing the competition, which highlights key Baltic music videos from the past year, director and curator Žanete Skarule notes:

“The RIGA IFF Baltic Music Video Competition has become an integral event of its kind in the Baltic states. Eagerly awaited, it brings together excitement and the joy of meeting, while offering a valuable point of reference for audiences, participants, and industry professionals alike. This year, we also wish to highlight music videos created in collaborations between Baltic artists and international creative forces, as it is only through such interaction that unique ideas and their execution are born.”

Submissions are open and free of charge until 30 June for official music videos whose performer, director or a member of the creative team is from the Baltic states, or whose production has taken place in Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania. Each year, the programme reflects a wide diversity of musical genres and visual languages, with particular emphasis on works driven by a strong drive to experiment and to discover new approaches to audiovisual expression. Full competition regulations and submission can be found at enter.rigaiff.lv and filmfreeway.com/rigaiff.

Entries selected by the curator and selection committee will be evaluated by an internationally acclaimed jury of music and audiovisual professionals from the Baltic region and across Europe. The selection committee and jury line-up, as well as the competition’s prize pool, will be announced soon. The competition selection results will be announced no later than 10 September, while the winner will be revealed at a special RIGA IFF Awards ceremony on the festival’s second Saturday, 25 October.

From 15 to 25 October, RIGA IFF will once again bring together audiences and film industry professionals from around the world for Latvia’s largest celebration of cinema. Follow the latest festival news at rigaiff.lv, on the festival’s social media channels, or by subscribing to the RIGA IFF newsletter. RIGA IFF is made possible with the support of the State Culture Capital Foundation, the EU programme “Creative Europe – MEDIA”, the Riga City Council, and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia.