The Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF, 17–27 October), a prominent cinema event in the Baltics, has opened the application process for its four competitions. The RIGA IFF Feature Film Competition, the Short Film National Competition, and the Baltic Music Video Competition will be open for submissions until 30 June. Meanwhile the deadline for the Short Film International Competition is 31 May. Submission until 25 March is without a fee. You can access the competition rules and submit applications starting today by visiting the websites enter.rigaiff.lv and filmfreeway.com/rigaiff.

Sonora Broka, the Artistic Director of RIGA IFF and the Head of the Film Programme, shared her view on the plans for this season:

For the past decade, the creative team at the Riga International Film Festival has been nurturing a unique event in the region, spotlighting artistically excellent and ambitious works. Our competition screenings offer a platform for exquisite cinematic enjoyment.

In pursuit of broader recognition in the Baltic Sea region and the Nordic countries, this year RIGA IFF has significantly increased the monetary prize for the winner of its main competition for feature films, which is now set at 10 000 euros. This award will be split between the directors and the producers of the winning film.

All RIGA IFF competitions accept applications regardless of form (documentary, animated, and fiction films, as well as hybrid productions) and genre. However, during the selection process a special attention will be dedicated to bold and innovative ideas that exhibit the author’s personal style and seek to redefine the language of cinema. Each year, the works chosen for the RIGA IFF Feature Film Competition provide insight into the evolving landscape of cinema in the Baltic Sea region, capturing the changes and atmosphere in the region. In both national and international level, the RIGA IFF Short Film Competition aims to present the most accurate snapshot of the Zeitgeist, offering to the audience a diverse range of themes and forms. The jury will also nominate a candidate for the European Film Academy Award European Short Film 2025. Meanwhile the RIGA IFF Baltic Music Video Competition offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of music videos within the Baltics.

RIGA IFF will announce the selection committees and juries, composed of industry professionals from Latvia and abroad, in the coming months. Selection results will be unveiled no later than 10 September, and the laureates will be announced at the award ceremony on the last Saturday of the festival – 26 October.

Feature film, series, and short film projects currently in development, production, or post-production also get to shine during the festival in the annual industry section RIGA IFF FORUM. Open call for participation in the RIGA IFF Showcase and SHORT RIGA Test Screenings pitching sessions will start on 12 June. In these events the selected projects will be presented to international industry experts, including film distributors, producers, festival curators and more. The events are focused on Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Baltic States. Read more at forum.rigaiff.lv.

In 2024, RIGA IFF embarks on a new decade and will maintain its status as a key cultural event in Latvia within the broader realm of audiovisual art. The main partner of RIGA IFF is the media and technology company Tet. The festival is organized with support from the State Culture Capital Foundation, the Creative Europe MEDIA, the Riga City Council, and the National Film Centre of Latvia.