The public initiative portal 'Manabalss.lv' has started collecting signatures calling for the naming of a street in Riga after Janis Streik, reports LETA.
The initiative is intended for submission to the Riga City Council.
The representative of the initiative is Alexander Mintzkovsky. He believes that Streik is one of the outstanding Latvian film directors, screenwriters, and cultural figures, whose contribution to Latvian cinema and the strengthening of national consciousness is immeasurable.
"His films, such as 'The Limousine of the White Night', 'The Child of Man', and 'The Gristmill of Fate', have become an integral part of Latvia's cultural canon, resonating with people and uniting generations. The aim of this initiative is to honor the talent of the master and the work of his life by immortalizing his name in the urban environment of Riga," said Mintzkovsky.
The author proposes to name one of the streets in Riga after Streik—either by renaming an existing section or giving his name to a new street.
He also calls for the installation of a memorial plaque on the house where the director lived and worked, thereby emphasizing the historical significance of this place.
As reported, on March 5, director Streik passed away. The director was born on September 26, 1936, in Anspoki, Preili parish.
He directed a total of 22 feature films and is a laureate of many international film festivals—receiving awards in Moscow, Boston, Chicago, and other cities.
Streik was the first representative of Latvia to be awarded the Vatican prize 'Beato Angelico per L'Europa'. In 1998, he received the Order of the Three Stars, and in 2016, the National Film Award 'Big Kristaps' for his lifetime contribution to cinema.
After completing his active filmmaking career, Streik lived in Lithuania, engaged in public activities and painting, and participated in exhibitions with his oil paintings of Latvian landscapes.
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