Baltic Cinemas Research Resources
Introduction
Estonia 🇪🇪
Film Institutions
Film Archives and Collections
Databases and VOD platforms
- Eesti Filmi Andmebaas
- Arkaader
- ERR
- ERR-archive
- Anthill – vast collection of Estonian mostly Soviet era films (interface in Russian)
- 101 Estonian films (based on the book by Tristan Priimägi) on NETIKINO
- Estonian Animation from Tallinn film
- Animation from Eesti Joonisfilm
- Estonian Shorts
Film Festivals
- Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF)
- Pärnu Documentary and Science Film Festival
- DocPoint Tallinn – a satellite of the Helsinki DocPoint festival
- Tartu Love Film Festival “Tartuff”
- The Haapsalu Horror & Fantasy Film Festival (HÕFF)
- Matsalu Nature Film Festival (MAFF)
Film Museums
Film Studios
- Tallinnfilm – dissolved, film restorations and distribution
- Eesti Telefilm – on hold
- List from Film Institute
- Eesti Joonisfilm
Film Education
Creative unions and representative organisations
- Filmmakers Association
- Documentary Guild
- Film Directors Guild
- Screenwriters’ Guild
- Animation Association
- Society of Cinematographers
- The Estonian Association of Audiovisual Authors
- Film Journalists’ Association
- Actors’ Union
Film periodicals and publications
Miscellaneous
Latvia 🇱🇻
State Film Institutions
Film Archives, Collections, and Databases
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Latvian State Archive of Audiovisual Documents
- See, Hear Latvia! – Digital archive of audiovisual, photo and audio documents of the Latvian State Archives of Audiovisual Documents.
- Riga Film Museum Archive
- Filmas.lv -en – Rich collection of restored films (mainly from the Soviet era) available worldwide
- Filmas.lv -lv – The Latvian Section provides access to a majority of fiction, documentary, and animated films produced in Latvia. It is accessible from Latvia and partially from Latvian libraries.
- latfilma.lv – The content of this abandoned site hosted by Latvian Filmmakers’ Union was integrated into filmas.lv and the NKC. However, you can still find some original articles by visiting the site via the Web Archive.
-
National Library of Latvia
- Digital periodicals collection – mainly in Latvian and Russian
VOD platforms and streaming services
access from Latvia
worldwide
- RePlay – Some of the films are geolocked
- DaFilms – Latvian section
- ArtDocMedia – filtered by :produced_in_Latvia
- Latvian films available to watch for free and Latvian movies on demand – Most useful lists of Latvian films are available online. The lists are made and curated by Dita Karauze. Check her other lists—a thematic collection of Latvian cinema—using the hashtag #LVKIno.
- Latvian experimental film – Another Letterboxd list features a curated collection from the Baltic Analog Lab.
Film Festivals
- Riga International Film Festival – successor of “Arsenals”
- 2ANNAS – Riga International Short Film Festival
- Baltic Sea Documentary Forum
- ArtDocFest – A documentary film festival formerly based in Russia has relocated to Latvia. Their site also hosts a rich digital cinemateque where many films are available, either for free or with a subscription.
- European Documentary Film Symposiums – Active from 1977 until the 2000s, this forum is now attempting a revival at ArtDocFest.
- [Lielais Kristaps] – National Film Award, previously National Film Festival
Film Museums
Film Studios
- Riga Film Studio –Formerly one of the biggest film studios in the USSR, it had an extraordinary documentary branch. Currently, it deals with preservation and digitalization.
- VFS films – produced “The Jump”, “Bridges of Time”, “Ukrainian Sheriffs” and many others.
- Juris Podnieks Studio – originally founded by Juris Podnieks, is now headed by Antra Cilinska, documentary filmmaker, producer, editor, Juris’ long-time collaborator
- GILDE – run by Romualdas Pipars and Baiba Urbane
- Dream Well Studio – independent animation production company. Founded by Gints Zilbalodis.
- Rija Films – has a section of its films available on demand
- Locomotive – In addition to film production, the studio conducts outstanding restorations of Latvian film classics
- List of film production companies and studios at latfima
Film Education
- National Film School of the Latvian Academy of Culture
- Baltic Analog Lab film school
- The Art Academy of Latvia
- RISEBA
Creative unions and representative organisations
- Filmmakers Union
- Latvian Guild of Cinematographers
- Film Producers’ Association
- Animation Association
Film periodicals and publications
- Culture Crossroads – an international peer-reviewed journal published by the Institute of Arts and Cultural Studies of the Latvian Academy of Culture.
- Kino Raksti
- Latvijas arhīvi – publishes articles on archives
Miscellaneous
- Tue Steen Müller’s blog – Tue is a legend in the documentary world, known for participating in and writing about many European film festivals. He is also a valued friend of the Latvian documentary film scene. His blog is a wonderful source for news and reviews concerning Latvian documentaries, filmmakers, and events.
Lithuania 🇱🇹
Film Institutions
- Lithuanian Film Centre
- Vilnius Film Office
- Kaunas Film Office
- Meno Avylis – This wonderful film and educational NGO preserves Lithuanian film heritage, among its many other activities.
Film Archives, Databases, and Digital Cinemateques
- Lithuanian Central State Archives
- LRT mediateque – huge collection of documentaries and TV programs
- sinemateka.lt – Lithuanian films restored by Meno Avilys. The Cinemateques also has a physical collection of films and publications at Goštauto St. 2, Vilnius
- INFONDAS – database and streaming platform for Lithuanian films
- Lithuanian Shorts
VOD and streaming
Film Festivals
- Vilnius International Film Festival — Kinopavasaris
- International Vilnius Documentary Film Festival
- European Film Forum “Scanorama”
- Vilnius Short Film FEstival
- IFF “Baltijos banga”
- International Experimental Film and Arts Festival “Suspaustas laikas”
- Vilnius Queer Film Festival “Kreivės”
Film Museums
- Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum
- Jonas Mekas Visual Art Center
- MO Museum – – mediateque and library
- National Gallery of Art – mediateque and library
Film Studios
- Lithuanian Film Studios – not quite active
- Nominum – founded by Arunas Matelis
- Studija Kinema – founded in 1989 by director Sharunas Bartas
- More companies – Lithuanian Film Industry Guide published by LFC
Film Education
Creative unions and representative organisations
- Lithuanian filmmakers union
- Lithuanian association of cinematographers
- Independent Producers Association
- Association of Lithuanian film culture
- Animation Association
- Alliance of cinema auteurs
Film periodicals and publications
Other
- The Baltic Sea Region Film History Conference
- Baltic Screen Media Review
- Central and Eastern European Online Library
- Apparatus – journal that deals with film, media and digital cultures of Eastern, Central and South-Eastern Europe
- Baltic Worlds – scholarly journal published by the Centre for Baltic and East European Studies at Södertörn University
- AABS – The Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies
- Journal of Baltic Studies
- KinoKultura – publishes articles and reviews on the cinemas of regions and nations, including special issues on Estonia, Latvia, and others.
- Tuna journal – issued by the National Archives of Estonia
- East European Film Bulletin