Until now, every member of the European Film Academy has already had to make their choice and vote for three from a selection of fifty European feature films. There is less volume pressure in the documentary category, but there, too, the choice is stark. In the category of animated films, where ours has also taken a place Streama different system works – here the European Film Academy does not rely on the integrity of the voters and the available time resources, which are necessary to watch a decent amount of European films and then tick off only a few on the voting sheet. Animated films are nominated by a jury of Academy professionals, perhaps because there are far fewer full-length animated films in Europe.
When talking about Latvian films in international competition, I will always emphasize the context. Around two thousand full-length films are produced in Europe every year, most of them in large countries with a substantial film industry. The presence of Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian films in any such selection can be considered a special achievement, because small countries with limited resources are fighting with giants – big money, big names. Therefore, it is worth reminding that the co-production of Estonia, Latvia and Greece was also included in the European Film Academy’s selection of the best feature films The invisible battle (ironic kungfu retro), which competes with, for example, one of the most radical films of the year Emily Perez – a musical about the miraculous transformation of a Mexican drug cartel boss through a change of gender and identity. This French film caused a sensation at Cannes and is likely to be one of the contenders for European Best Picture status, right up there with Pedro Almodovar Next roomwhich won the Venice Film Festival this year. What do you think the majority of academics will vote for? For a quirky little film or a big name and publicity?
While we await the nominations of the European Film Academy Awards in the category of best feature films and documentaries, everything is already clear about the animation nominations: among the five full-length animated films nominated for the award are also Stream. Fingers crossed that the nomination will turn into an award on December 7 in Lucerne, where the ceremony will take place. As the film’s producer Matīss Kaža burst out on social networks, the studio must start making a special shelf Streams for awards. Last week for his sixteen awards won at various festivals, Stream added several more. Recent successes include an award at the Los Angeles Animation Festival, as well as in Norway, Mexico and France.
What happens with Streamis a phenomenon worth empathizing with. In addition For the stream has managed to break the fact, confirmed by statistics, that only historical dramas can appeal to Latvian audiences. It is the works of this genre that form the top of the most popular Latvian films. Until last weekend Stream 103,000 viewers had watched in cinemas in Latvia, thus Stream ranks among the top five most watched domestic films in Latvia in the last thirty years. Everything continues – and the shelf for prizes will have to be made.
Source: www.diena.lv
