Global InformationList of Latvian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film information
The Republic of Latvia has submitted a variety of films for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film[nb 1] at the Academy Awards. The award is given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue,[2] and was first presented at the 29th Academy Awards.[3]
The academy selection committee reviews all submissions for this award, and votes the five candidates via secret ballot voting.[2] For Latvia, the panel works on behalf of the National Film Centre of Latvia (NFCL).[nb 2] As of 2022, it consists of Latvian Filmmakers Union[nb 3] chairperson Ieva Romanova, Ministry of Culture secretary Dace Vilsone, critic Kristīne Simsone, filmmaker Dace Pūce, film producer Alise Ģelze, and animator Edmunds Jansons. Dita Rietuma, film historian and director of the NFCL, is head of the panel since 2020. They would hold a meeting to decide on the submission, and would often announce the reason for the final decision. Previous members include film historian Viktors Freibergs, director and Latvian Academy of Culture [lv][nb 4] professor Dāvis Sīmanis, chairwoman of the Latvian Cinematographers Union[nb 5] Zane Balčus, chairman of the Baltic Sea Documentary Film Forum Zane Balčus and Dzintars Dreibergs, as well as film producer Uldis Cekulis.[4][5]
A month after restoring independence, Latvia was recognized by the Soviet Union in September 1991, bringing the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to an end.[6] In 1992, they sent their first-ever film for consideration, a comedy film titled The Child of Man, written and directed by Jānis Streičs, at the 65th Academy Awards. The film was considered alongside 32 other films but failed to be nominated. They made their next submission in 2008 for the 80th Awards, another in 2010 for the 83rd, and another in 2012 for the 85th, and have sent a film each year since then. In total, Latvia has made 15 submissions to the category, 14 of which were not nominated, and the latest, 2023 submission My Freedom still pending review. The only director with two nominations is Viestur Kairish, with his films The Chronicles of Melanie (2016) for the 90th Awards and January (2021) for the 95th awards.
- ^ "Foreign Language Film Award Renamed 'International Feature Film Award'" (Press release). Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 23 April 2019. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Rule Thirteen: Special Rules for the Foreign Language Film Award". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ "History of the Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 6 July 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
Seven more special awards were presented before Foreign Language Film became an annual category in 1956.
- ^ "Latvia Enters Film Blizzard of Souls for Oscar Awards".
National Film Center of Latvia. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
94thwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Schmemann, Serge (7 September 1991). "Soviet Turmoil; Soviets Recognize Baltic Independence, Ending 51-year Occupation of 3 Nations". The New York Times (National ed.). p. 1. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
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