January Awarded Best Feature Film of 2022 at Lielais Kristaps Awards

Source: Film New Europe
Kristine Simsone

RIGA: Viesturs Kairišs' coming-of age-drama January / Janvāris received five awards, including Best Feature Film and Best Actor in a Leading Role, at the Latvian national film awards Lielais Kristaps, which were announced on 26 February 2023.

January was also awarded for editing, production design and costumes. Kairišs' film topped the box office admissions for domestic films in 2022 with 35,267 admissions.

Linda Olte's debut feature Sisters / Māsas received two awards, for directing and actress in a supporting role, while Troubled Minds / Nemierīgie prāti by Raitis Ābele and Lauris Ābele scored in the categories of best supporting actor and best composer.

New York-based Latvian animator's Signe Baumane’s second long animated film My Love Affair with Marriage / Mans laulību projekts received three awards: for best animated film as well as best directing and production design in the category of animation.

Marija Luīze Meļķe was awarded Best Actress in Neon Spring / Neona pavasarisby Matīss Kaža, but she refused to accept the award until the civil union law is be adopted.

WINNERS:

Best Feature Film:
January / Janvāris (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland)
Directed by Viesturs Kairišs
Produced by Mistrus Media
Coproduced by Artbox, Staron Film
Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, the Lithuanian Film Centre, the Polish Film Institute, Eurimages, Latvijas Mobilais Telefons, Latvian Television, Latvian Foundation, Culture and Sports Department of the Riga City Council

Best TV Series:
Criminal Case for a Beginner / Krimināllieta iesācējam (Latvia, Lithuania, Russia)
Directed by Armands Zvirbulis
Produced by Red Dot Media
Coproduced by INSCRIPT, ChBK Films

Best Director:
Linda Olte for Sisters (Latvia, Italy)
Produced by Trickster Pictures
Coproduced by Fenixfilm, Albolina Film
Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, IDM South Tyrol, Eurimages

Best Scriptwriter:
Juris Kursietis, Matīss Gricmanis, Līga Celma-Kursiete, Armands Zvirbulis for Criminal Case for a Beginner

Best Actress:
Marija Luīze Meļķe for Neon Spring / Neona pavasaris (Latvia)
Directed by Matīss Kaža
Produced by Trickster Pictures
Supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation, the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Riga City Council, Go3

Best Actor:
Kārlis Arnolds Avots for January

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
Iveta Pole for Sisters

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Toms Auniņš for Troubled Minds / Nemierīgie prāti (Latvia)
Directed by Raitis Ābele, Lauris Ābele
Produced by Tritone Studio
Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia

Best Debut Film:
Meanwhile in Lucavsala / Tikmēr Lucavsalā (Latvia)
Directed by Elza Gauja
Produced by Riverbed
Coproduced by the Latvian Television
Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia

Best Animation Film:
My Love Affair with Marriage (Latvia, USA, Luxembourg)
Directed by Signe Baumane
Produced by Studio Locomotive
Coproduced by The Marriage Project LLC, Antevita Films
Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, Film Fund Luxembourg, New York State Council on the Arts, New York’s Governor’s Office of Motion Picture and Television Development, the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre, BBPostHouse Riga, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, H. O. Peet Foundation, Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Ravenal Foundation Grant of New York Women in Film & Television, Creative Europe MEDIA

Best Documentary:
My Mother the State / Mana māte valsts (Latvia, Iceland)
Directed by  Ieva Ozoliņa
Produced by Fa Filma, Republik

Special Mention for Documentary:
Before the Light / Svārstības (Latvia)
Directed by Kristīne Briede
Produced by Baltic Balkan Productions, Rucka Art fund

Best Short Film:
First Steps / Pirmie soļi (Latvia)
Directed by Pauls Ķesteris
Produced by Mima Films, National Film School of Latvia

Best Documentary Short Film:
81 metres / 81 metrs (Latvia)
Directed by Jānis Ābele
Produced by Chaland Films

Best Documentary Director:
Ivars Seleckis for The Land / Zemnieki (Latvia)
Produced by Mistrus Media
Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Latvian Television

Best Cinematography:
Aleksandrs Grebņevs for The Taste of Water / Ūdens garša (Latvia)
Directed by Matīss Kaža
Produced by Deep Sea Studios

Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film:
Gints Bērziņš for Homes / Mājas (Latvia)
Directed by Laila Pakalnina
Produced by Hargla Company
Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia

Best Director of an Animated Film:
Signe Baumane for My Love Affair with Marriage

Best Production Design of an Animated Film:
Signe Baumane for My Love Affair with Marriage

Best Editing:
Armands Začs for January

Best Production Design:
Ieva Jurjāne for January

Best Composer:
Platons Buravickis, Juan Hernandez for Troubled Minds

Best Sound:
Aleksandrs Vaicahovskis for Neon Spring

Best Costumes:
Rūta Lečaite for January

Best Make-up Artist:
Maija Gundare for Samuel's Travels / Sema ceļojumi (Latvia, Belgium)
Directed by Aik Karapetian
Produced by Mistrus Media
Coproduced by Polar Bear
Supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Belgian Tax Shelter

Best Student Film:
My Neighbour Killed My Cat / Mans kaimiņš nosita manu kaķi (Latvia)
Directed by Reinis Ūbelis
Produced by National Film School of Latvia, Griffonmark