
Acting
Elza Radziņa (February 10, 1917; Kharkiv, Russian Empire – August 18, 2005; Riga, Latvia) was a Latvian theater and cinema actress, master of the spoken word (reader). She received award of People's Artist of the USSR in 1976 and Order of the Three Stars in 1995. She studied in Jelgava theater studio in 1942. After the World War II worked in Jelgava Drama theater (1945-1953). For a brief moment she worked in Valmiera Drama theater, but from 1954 worked in Latvian National Theater, where she became one of the leading actresses. In 1949 she made her debut in biographical drama film "Rainis" from Riga Film Studio.

King Lear, old and tired, divides his kingdom among his daughters, giving great importance to their protestations of love for him. When Cordelia, youngest and most honest, refuses to idly flatter the old man in return for favor, he banishes her and turns for support to his remaining daughters. But Goneril and Regan have no love for him and instead plot to take all his power from him. In a parallel, Lear's loyal courtier Gloucester favors his illegitimate son Edmund after being told lies about his faithful son Edgar. Madness and tragedy befall both ill-starred fathers.

A medieval love story with lots of adventures. The times are troubled - there's a revolt of peasants going on. To secure its safety a monastery chases for a relics of a holy Brigitte. A nobleman promises to get it if he gets beautiful Agnes as a reward. But she fells in love with a handsome adventurer. The monastery has to act shrewd now and play double game.

Shakespeare's 17th century masterpiece about the "Melancholy Dane" was given one of its best screen treatments by Soviet director Grigori Kozintsev. Kozintsev's Elsinore was a real castle in Estonia, utilized metaphorically as the "stone prison" of the mind wherein Hamlet must confine himself in order to avenge his father's death. Hamlet himself is portrayed (by Innokenti Smoktunovsky) as the sole sensitive intellectual in a world made up of debauchers and revellers. Several of Kozintsev directorial choices seem deliberately calculated to inflame the purists: Hamlet's delivers his "To be or not to be" soliloquy with his back to the camera, allowing the audience to fill in its own interpretations.

Alan York is a race horse jockey who sees his friend and chief rival jockey fall to his death during a steeplechase race. Alan knows it could not have been an accident. He pursues clues while meeting a lovely young lady and her fascinating uncle, until he finally discovers why his friend died... and why he is next to die.

Musician Stefan meets a young attractive woman Lidia. Stefan is going on tour to Austria, and Lydia, "accidentally" remembering her Viennese acquaintance, asks to give her a souvenir from Moldova. In Vienna, Stefan is met by people who are well aware of his private life and even familiar with his diary. The musician begins to suspect something is wrong, but when his daughter's well-being is threatened, Stefan becomes truly worried...


Latvia in the late 19th century. Edgars, the coachman of Alaine manor, loves Kristine, the washerwoman's daughter, although he is too hot-headed for Kristine's mother to consider him a good suitor for his daughter. Servant Viskrelis and stable boy Sutka try to tempt Edgars to a life of drinking and a relationship with the barmaid Matilde. Meanwhile, Kristine is courted by a rich landowner, Akmentins.

A strong-willed, energetic woman who has earned the deepest respect and authority through her work, but is unhappy in her family life.

A Latvian fairy-tale film based on Anna Brigadere’s classic play. It follows two stepsisters: gentle, hardworking Maija and spoiled, idle Paija whose trials in the underworld reveal their true natures, with rewards and consequences to match.

The great actress Julia Lambert suddenly realizes that she is, alas, getting old. What can help a woman who has absolutely everything? Only new love. And Julia falls in love with the first person she meets: an ambitious young man who has not a penny behind his soul. So begins a new life - a new romance and new tears. How else could it be?
