On 23 October, one of the Riga International Film Festival’s (RIGA IFF, 16–26 October) most unique events – the Baltic Music Video Competition screening – will take place at the main venue, the Splendid Palace cinema. During the screening, featuring the appearances of creators and musical surprises, 15 of the past year’s most impressive Baltic music videos will compete for the best music video title and prizes from BBrental, Erica Synths and the Oulu Music Video Festival.

On 23 October, RIGA IFF will once again manifest the untamed spirit of image and music on the big screen, bringing together audiences and music video creators for the eleventh time in a unique celebration of Baltic audiovisual art. Out of more than 90 works submitted for the competition, 15 have been chosen – works that surprise with unbridled passion for finding ever-new video techniques and defying conventional formats.

 “Decoding the record number of submissions, we find that music videos are just like love: so many parameters in your pocket, but as soon as you meet “the one”, origin and affiliation no longer matter. We invite you, dear viewer, to come with an open heart and feel the message that lies beyond words, sounds and images,”

invites Žanete Skarule, curator of the competition.

On 23 October, RIGA IFF will once again manifest the untamed spirit of image and music on the big screen, bringing together audiences and music video creators for the eleventh time in a unique celebration of Baltic audiovisual art. Out of more than 90 works submitted for the competition, 15 have been chosen – works that surprise with unbridled passion for finding ever-new video techniques and defying conventional formats.

From bold provocation to meditative transcendence and poetic black-and-white imagery, music’s expansive visual worlds will come alive on the big screen. Highlights include music videos by Solo Ansamblis, rolands če, Marija Fausta, Carnival Youth, Zvīņas, Vecers and Ozols, works by directors Ieva Aleksa, Elīza Jordane, Jaan Sinka, Robertas Nevecka, Ieva Balode, Dāvis Gauja and Tīna Pankūka, alongside other innovative submissions from audiovisual artists across the Baltic region.

Competing music videos will go head-to-head for the top prize: EUR 3,000 in equipment rental from BBrental and a EUR 1,000 cash award from music technology innovators Erica Synths. The entries will be judged by an internationally acclaimed jury: directors Anna Ansone (Latvia) and Tomas Vengris (Lithuania), journalist and film critic Laurence Boyce (United Kingdom), Joel Karppanen, creative director of the Oulu Music Video Festival (Finland), and editing director Tianès Montasser (France). Participants will also be in the running for special awards from RIGA IFF’s partners – Erica Synths and the Oulu Music Video Festival.

The Baltic Music Video Competition screening will take place on 23 October at 21:00 in the Large Hall of Splendid Palace cinema, with the winning entry to be revealed at the RIGA IFF awards ceremony on 25 October. Tickets for the screening are available on the festival website (rigaiff.lv) or at Biļešu Serviss box offices.

From 16 to 26 October, Latvia’s largest celebration of cinema, the Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF), will present movie lovers with over 100 daring and fresh visions from filmmakers across Europe and around the world. Alongside the screenings, the festival will host events for film industry professionals, as well as a public programme for a wider audience. This year, guided by the motto SEE. SHIFT. BECOME, the festival urges audiences to let themselves be transformed by the immersive world of cinema offered by the festival’s programme. Follow the latest festival news at rigaiff.lv and on RIGA IFF’s social media.

RIGA IFF is made possible with the support of the State Culture Capital Foundation, the EU programme “Creative Europe – MEDIA”, Riga City Council, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, the National Film Centre of Latvia, and the Investment and Tourism Agency of Riga. The Baltic Music Video Competition is also supported by electronic music technology company Erica Synths and BBrental, a one-stop shop for film equipment rentals.