LATVIAN CLASSICS
A unique opportunity to see the classics of Latvian cinema. Janis Abele, who is a part of this year’s jury panel at LFF, has selected 5 favorite films from his country. The selection is organised in cooperation with the Latvian National Film Center.
Four White Shirts, dir. Rolands Kalnins (LSPR) 1967, 73’, 15+
Cēzars is a telephone repairman, who becomes the charismatic leader of the youthful rock group “Optimisti” (The Optimists) at night. In his lyrics he increasingly endorses sexual freedom and rejects hypocritical social values, which didn’t escape moralistic official Anita’s attention. She decides to report the group to petty bureaucrats, who demand changes to the group’s material. The group is willing to compromise, but Cēsar defies censorship. The film itself also fell victim to the socialist government, which drastically restricted its distribution for 20 years. In 2018, the digitally restored work was included in the Cannes Classics section of the Cannes Film Festival.