FESTIVAL FACT SHEET

Overview

The Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, having reestablished their independence in 1991, make films that regularly garner awards at international film festivals. Most recently, Latvia's animated feature Flow won a 2025 Golden Globe and received two Oscar nominations, further highlighting the region’s cinematic excellence. 

In November 2018, the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian communities in Boston organized a gala weekend to commemorate the centenary of their countries’ first declaration of independence in 1918. The celebration included a Baltic Film Festival, which has now become an annual event showcasing feature films and documentaries that reflect the culture and talent of the Baltic people.

When and Where?

In-person screenings will be held Friday, February 28 to Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the ArtsEmerson Paramount Center’s Bright Family Screening Room in Boston. Virtual screenings will follow for two weeks starting March 3 - March 17, 2025. Individual tickets and passes will be available on the festival website www.bostonbalticfilm.org starting February 3.

Film Lineup:  23 films in original language and subtitled in English.

ESTONIA

The Shadow – In 1890s Estonia, under the oppressive Russian Empire, struggling poet and unlikely detective Juhan Liiv solves gruesome murders, uncovering dark secrets while battling his own unraveling mind.

Lioness – A mother races against time to save her daughter from a dark path of rebellion and violence. As their fractured bond unravels, the search becomes a desperate struggle to reclaim a lost connection before it’s too late.

8 Views of Lake Biwa – A poetic film inspired by the Japanese art tradition of “eight views” explores the consequences of a communal disaster in a superstitious fishing village. The film explores love and the deep, enduring connection of a community to the universe.

Hell's Stoker – A documentary about Aivar Simson, a contemporary Estonian sculptor, who is haunted by his past Soviet military service in Afghanistan.  The film explores his creative process and the raw honesty behind his art as he confronts his demons through sculpture and humor. 

Totally Boss - A family comedy of two 13-year-olds, Oliver and Sass, who make  nose-shaped holders for glasses in their shop class and attract the interest of a mysterious major investor. At the same time, Oliver's recently laid off father is struggling to find a new job.

Life & Love - Set during the Great Depression, this compelling drama follows a young woman who leaves her rural home to pursue a writing career in the city. There she becomes entangled with her boss at a local print shop where both learn that romantic illusions come with a very high price.

Goodbye Rock ‘ N Roll -  A colorful and creative documentary of a creative person, Hardi Volmer, that looks at his life as a film director, puppet theatre set decorator and musician. Volmer is also the singer in the Estonian punk rock band Singer Vinger.

Free Money – A fast-paced comedy-drama about the crypto craze, where three interconnected stories explore the wild world of money, investment, and the fallout when the bubble bursts.

LATVIA

Flow – A Golden Globe-winning, two-time Oscar-nominated animated adventure following a courageous cat and his unlikely crew on a perilous journey across a flooded world, exploring the power of friendship and the fragility of nature.

BOOM! – A magical, music-filled tween adventure where a skateboarding mishap gives 13-year-old Hugo superpowers, sparking a choice between popularity and true friendship.

Maria's Silence – A true story of Latvian actress Maria Leiko, who travels to Stalin's Russia in 1937, only to find herself caught in the grip of the KGB. In the end, she plays her most tragic role as an innocent victim, caught between her ideals and the ruthless regime determined to break her. The film won the Ecumenical Jury Award at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in 2024.

Podnieks on Podnieks: A Witness to History – A moving documentary exploring the life and legacy of Juris Podnieks, one of Latvia’s most acclaimed filmmakers. Through archival footage, interviews, and personal diary entries, the film highlights his impact on documenting pivotal historical moments. A tribute to his artistic journey, the film invites viewers to rediscover Podnieks' profound influence on Latvian cinema and history.

Is It Easy to Be Young Trilogy – Juris Podnieks’ original documentary, released in 1986 at the dawn of perestroika, captured the youth of Soviet Latvia at a critical juncture of awakening. The film’s bold portrayal of rebellion and the desire for freedom resonated internationally. After Podnieks' untimely death, Antra Cilinska, who had worked closely with him on the first film, continued the story with two sequels, documenting the lives of the original subjects 10 and 20 years later, revealing how the changes of the era shaped them.

Patricija – A documentary of Patricija Eiduka, “The Flying Latvian” follows the young skier’s pursuit of greatness, navigating intense training, fierce competition, and unwavering family support on her path to becoming one of the world’s top athletes.

The Assistant – A hilarious workplace comedy series that follows a quirky assistant navigating the complicated work of saving the world while managing the chaos of supporting a demanding boss in a dysfunctional office environment.

Tango of Life – Claudio, a farmer with Parkinson’s, and his wife Ivana defy the odds in pursuit of their dream to dance tango in Buenos Aires. Despite his condition, Claudio continues to dance, work, and advocate for tango’s therapeutic benefits. Their story inspires a new tango composition, but just as their dream is within reach, Claudio is hospitalized.

LITHUANIA 

Drowning Dry – A lakeside getaway turns devastating after a child’s near-tragic accident, forcing two sisters to navigate the emotional aftermath and confront their trauma as newly single mothers. The film received the Best Director and Best Performance Award at the 2024 Locarno Film Festival.

Five and a Half Love Stories in an Apartment in Vilnius – An old Airbnb apartment silently bears witness to five intertwining love crises, each revealing the fragile connections and desires that unfold within its walls. The film received Best Picture in the “Rebels with a Cause” competition program at the 27th Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) in Tallinn, 2023.

Southern Chronicles – Set in early 1990s Lithuania and based on Rimantas Kmita’s semi-autobiographical book, this film mirrors the winding, lesson-filled journey of stories like Catcher in the Rye. Blending humor, heart, and nostalgia, it offers a vivid portrayal of adolescence in post-Soviet Lithuania, shaped by icons like Michael Jordan, Metallica, rap, and Enigma. It won the Baltic Film Competition at the 28th Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) in Tallinn, 2024.

My Hood Southside – Inspired by Rimantas Kmita’s novel Southside Chronicles, this documentary explores what it meant to grow up in Šiauliai’s "wild" Pietinis District, examining its Soviet-era architecture, social challenges, and cultural legacy through interviews, nostalgia, and 1980s archive footage.

Parade - When a former couple must annul their decades-old marriage through “Catholic Court,” a string of awkward encounters with clergy leads to unexpected twists. What begins as a formal process becomes a journey full of humor, surprises, and a chance to rediscover what they once shared.

Unknown Treasures – What starts as a dull stay in the countryside turns into an adventure when Austėja’s grandparents vanish during a storm, leaving behind clues to a hidden treasure. A group of kids sets off on a thrilling quest to find it.

Tasty - A comedy of two friends working in a canteen take part in a cooking competition on TV, but  then a new love interest threatens to pull them apart.