The state has allocated funding for film projects for the next year — from debut feature films to documentaries about war and ecology.
The National Film Center has approved the results of the production competition for 2026. With a total budget of €1.26 million, 14 projects received support: three feature films, seven documentaries, and four animations.
Feature Films: Three Projects from Fifteen
Almost €487,000 has been allocated for feature films, with only three selected from 15 applications due to the limited budget.
Among them is Tina Zarina's debut "Language": a story about a teenager sent to a sanatorium where she meets a mysterious boy.
Viesturs Kairišs will shoot the international project "Reconstruction" — a drama about a father trying to restore his daughter's past after a severe diagnosis.
Tom Harjo's film "Actually" will tell the story of a young man raised in a religious environment who faces an internal conflict in adult life.
Documentaries: From the Border to War and Ecology
About €439,000 has been directed to documentary projects. The themes range from personal stories to geopolitics.
Among the projects is the film "The Core of Europe" about life on the eastern border of the EU, "Shelter" about preparing underground spaces for a possible war, and "The Loudest Place in the World" — an essay on noise as a symbol of modern crises.
A separate project, "15 x 15 cm of Sun," combines documentary filmmaking and animation to tell the tragedy of the residents of a Ukrainian village under occupation.
The competition also supported the eco-thriller "Logging of the Baltics," dedicated to deforestation in the region's countries, and a film about the poet Amanda Aizpuriete.
Animation: New Projects and Sequels
More than €331,000 has been allocated for animation. Support was given to both new short films and sequels to already known projects.
In particular, the second season of the animated series "Urga, Yo and Po" will be released. A series titled "Thin Neighbors" featuring young authors has also been launched.
Among the new works is the film "On the Way" about the breakdown of relationships and the philosophical story "C’mon" about a person living in the illusion of stability against the backdrop of a crumbling world.
The competition reflects the priorities of Latvian cinema — from personal stories to themes of war, identity, and ecology, as well as an attempt to support a new generation of authors amid limited funding.
As a result, 2026 may bring a noticeable renewal to Latvian cinema — despite the relatively modest budget.
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