This year marks the 80th birthday of classic Swedish director Roy Andersson. His films have had a special place at RIGA IFF in its first decade, which is why, in this anniversary year, the festival is offering a look back at how his unconventional signature style came about and the most important highlights from his creative oeuvre.

Andersson’s filmography comprises six shorts and six features, which it is physically possible to watch in one day. Adding to that his over 400 advertisements, it becomes obvious that Andersson’s well-honed, powerfully caricatured film style is not so different from his dryly humorous commercial work. As he himself puts it, if strung together, these episodic works can be seen as one never-ending film.

This selection includes seemingly incompatible works – commercials for lyrical scrapes and two short films with a poignant, even melancholic view of society. These films are destined to unfold in order from the cradle to the grave and even beyond. It is the road of civilisation, where glass breaks, cars are dented, AIDS patients die, sick people pay with the last penny they have, and a man cannot understand why he is so… normal. 

Foreword by the programme curator: There is nothing like observing Roy Andersson’s artistry, whether in short form or long form: from advertisements to his short and feature films, there is a common thread of creativity running through his work including a brilliant use of settings and a savvy eye and empathy for all that is mundane.