BALSSI Cultural Event:
Film Shorts: "The Best Waterpieces Ever"

Date and time: August 3, 2009, 7:00 P.M.
Location: 1217 Mosse Humanities Building, 455 N. Park Street (Click here for a map)

Sponsors: The Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) is sponsored by a consortium of twelve U.S. universities and receives additional support from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.

About the screening event: An introduction and post-film discussion will be led by Karen Kinslow, a current BALSSI student in Latvian. Karen is a Ph.D. student in the department of geography at the University of Kentucky. The topic of her dissertation is "Latvian Subject Formation and Baltic Identity amidst Out-Migration and Current Geo-Political Agendas in the Region."

Descriptions of the film shorts:

Sandbox by Elina Ļihačeva, Latvia, 2002
“Sandbox” is a video essay featuring poet Marts Pujats with music by Gonzo (Martins Strautnieks). The images create a sort of experimental game. This is one of the first video films that received an award at the ‘Udensgabali’ 2002 / Waterpieces video art festival.

Virtuoso Donkey by Peteris Līdaka, Latvia, 2003
This experimental film  presents a story about a donkey who is susceptible to ideological persuasion.  It all begins simply enough with the donkey's wish to celebrate his birthday.

Absolutely by Fēlikss Zīders and Ervins Broks, Latvia, 2004
This is the directors’ statement against traditional art establishments which, the directors believe, diminsh viewers’ ability to truly appreciate art.

Ministry Messiah by Gints Apsīts, Latvia, 2005
This video is a self-reflection of the director.  The combination of symbols and the mechanical rhythm of the music flow together drawing the spectator into the rich environment.

The Bone Dancer by Gints Apsīts, Latvia, 2005
The director offers the viewer a serious opportunity for self contemplation by presenting the progression from the physical impulse through to giving birth to new life. At one stage the focus on pure anatomy gets dangerously close to didacticism.  Ultimately, the director’s straightforward manner leads his viewers to aesthetical and ethical conclusions.

Dots by Kaspars Groševs, Latvia, 2006
Three visual stories transform into each other and develop their plots from each other.  Here the director is clearly attempting to play with the senses of his audience. 

Processor by Oļa Vasiljeva, Latvia, 2006
This video becomes a rebus forcing the audience to follow exciting scenes where characters are permanently processed into new images and stories.

Right Now by Una Rozenbauma, Latvia, 2006
This is a moody and expressionistic piece that creates a variety of illusions of the elusive concept of time. 

LA – LA by Ivars Grāvlejs, Latvia, 2007
Imagine what would happen if all of your photographs suddenly came to life and started behaving badly!

Vilma is Off Today by Anete Melece, Latvia, 2007
This colorful and witty animation depicts a short story about falling in love in the 21st century.

Michael Jackson Five by Oļa Vasiljeva, 2007
This is a thought-provoking flashback on Michael Jackson’s life.

Return to calendar