If we consider film as a mirror of society, what do we see in this reflection? Are all members of our society portrayed and represented equal(ly), regardless of their gender? And what about the filmmakers – do they really represent the diversity that surrounds us daily?
We’ll be delving into these and other matters during the panel discussion in the framework of The “Baltic Women in Film Mentorship” program – the first mentorship program exclusively for women in film and TV industries of the Baltic states. The discussion will feature an overview of the representation of women in Latvian film, since restoration of independence of Latvia in 1991, prepared by Elīna Reitere, the co-editor of the online film review “Kino Raksti”.
Among the participants of the panel:
– Producer Ineses Boka-Grūbe, whose one of the most recent work is the TV series “Emīlija. The Queen of Latvian Press”,
– Director and writer Marta Elīna Martinsone, who recently released her first debut feature film “Lame-o’s”;
– Uldis Zariņš, Deputy State Secretary at Latvia’s Ministry of Culture, the responsible for development and implementation of cultural policy.
– Alise Švandere, who studies cultural and social anthropology at University of Latvia.
The discussion will be held in Latvian with consecutive English translation available at the venue.
Please note that for entering the festival venue you have to present an interoperable EU Covid-19 digital certificate, proving that the person is fully vaccinated or has recovered from Covid-19.
Uldis Zariņš is Deputy State Secretary at Latvia’s Ministry of Culture where he is responsible for development and implementation of cultural policy, including for museums and libraries. Before joining the Ministry of Culture in 2018, he worked for the National Library of Latvia as Head of the Digital Library and Head of Library Development. Uldis is a former President of the Library Association of Latvia, has served on the boards of Europeana and EBLIDA, and been a member of EBLIDA, IFLA and LIBER working groups and committees.
Dr.phil. Elīna Reitere is a film critic, researcher and co-editor of the online film review “Kino Raksti”. Elīna has studied audiovisual culture, film and theater theory in Riga and Mainz (Germany). In her doctoral dissertation Elīna analysed slow cinema. She was nominated for Normunds Naumanis’ award in art criticism in 2019. Has two children.
Marta Elīna Martinsone is a film and theatre director, publicist and co-author of several scripts.
Her graduation film “Viesturs Kairišs Leaves the Forest” received the National film award “Lielais Kristaps” in 2018. She was awarded another “Lielais Kristaps” the following year – for the script she co-wrote with Alise Zariņa for Alise’s debut feature film “Nearby”.
Marta’s debut feature film – youth comedy “Lame-o’s” was released in August 2021. Marta is currently working on a new feature film project, which will be produced by “Ego Media”, continuing the mutual collaboration started with the production of “Lame-o’s”.
Inese Boka-Grūbe is the partner and producer at the Latvian film production company Mistrus Media since 2005, PhD student at the Latvian Academy of Culture researching reception of historical films. Latest productions include feature “Natural Light” (dir.Denes Nagy) and TV series “Emily. Queen of the Press” (dir.Andis Mizišs, Kristīne Želve, Dāvis Sīmanis). Member of European Women’s Audiovisual Network, European Film Academy and Latvian Film Producers Association.
Alise studies cultural and social anthropology at University of Latvia. Alongside her studies she does anthropological research. Alise has taken part in researches that delve into such topics as masculinity, activism, formal and informal care practices within the family, violence as well as the ethical aspects of biobanks used for various studies.
Jūle Rozīte studied Film and Television Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, and the University of Glasgow, Scotland. She has worked as a film programmer at festivals all over the world – the Tribeca Film Festival, the Stockholm Film Festival, Baltic Sea Docs in Riga and the New York Baltic Film Festival. In 2016, Rozīte was honoured to be on the jury of the Latvian National Film Awards, and participate in the pre-selection committee the following year.