"RIGA IFF short film competitions represent the most precise and bold mirror of the zeitgeist in the festival program, offering to discover new points of view and dimensions of the cinema screen in a short and succinct form. The 34 works, filled with colours, impressions, genres, and textures, have been selected from over 2000 submissions, and, with the participation of their creators, will be screened in four Short Film International Competition screenings at Forum Cinemas, and a special Short Film National Competition screening at cinema Splendid Palace, Large Hall," said the organizers September 5.
The films will be judged and festival prizes, among them the candidacy for the prestigious European Short Film 2025 Award, will be awarded by a jury of film industry professionals.
Introducing the competition participants, RIGA IFF short film competition curator and French film critic Léo Soesanto said:
“We’re very happy to again celebrate short films and remind the audience that whatever the film length is, cinema is cinema. In the International competition, we wanted to once again show all that cinema allows – making a film with a video game, VHS tapes, sand, or any tool or location to re-enchant the world. But above all, a number of films with people trapped in melancholy, in the past, but trying to overcome it, to fight the current feeling that we live in a perpetual, everlasting present – a “future nostalgia”. Meanwhile, there is a lot of young energy in the national competition line-up. And that’s their main theme – what do we do with all these possibilities, as characters and filmmakers? This energy produces top-notch animation as usual and live-action films where the protagonists seem overwhelmed by what they can do, but always in a poetic way.”
RIGA IFF Short Film International Competition films, 25 shorts from all corners of the world, are divided into four competition screenings – The Name of the Game, The Sensual World, Back to Where You’ve Never Been, Fight Your Future. As part of the competition, RIGA IFF will screen 11 premieres, among them world premieres of short films Richard, Eva, I Wish You to Love Me, I Wish to Love You, Hasta La Futura, Flow of Being and 2023 SHORT RIGA Test Screenings winner Yummy.
Meanwhile, the RIGA IFF Short Film National Competition is composed of a wide spectrum of works from Latvian filmmakers. The program will include the most recent creations of seasoned directors as well as promising works from the film talents of the new generation.
The four Short Film International Competition screenings will take place on 24 and 25 October at Forum Cinemas. The Latvian short film selection, featuring film creators and Q&A’s, will take place on 23 October, 18:30, at cinema Splendid Palace, Large Hall. The film selections of both competitions will also be available online throughout Latvia. Tickets to all short film competitions’ screenings, and other announced RIGA IFF program screenings are now available on the festival website (rigaiff.lv), and at Biļešu Serviss sales points.
