Riga Film Museum
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Riga Film Museum is the only museum of its kind in Latvia. It holds various exhibitions that display different aspects of cinema art, actors and film history. The museum was founded in 1988 and is located in two buildings: an 18th-century building located on 10 Peitavas Street in Vecrīga, and the building of Eduards Smiļģis' Theater Museum on 1 Talsu Street in Pārdaugava.
History
The idea to establish the Film Museum in Riga came about during the traditional cinema forum called ”Kino Diena” (English: "Film Day") in 1986. The leaders of this project were Augusts Sukuts, Inga Pērkone-Redoviča, and Juris Civjans. They managed to start a museum by getting a permission from the Soviet Union cinema organization.
Throughout the years following Latvia’s independence, the Riga Film Museum has been a part of different institutions. It was a part of the National Film Centre of Latvia until 2010 when it was turned over to the Latvian Academy of Culture.
The Film Museum has relocated various times before settling to the current building in the Old Town. It was once in the rooms of ”Riga Video Centre”, the ”Latvian State Archive of Audiovisual Documents”, the ”Riga Film Studio” and the former ”Museum of Illegal Press” on Krāslavas Street.
The current director of the museum is Zane Balčus.
Current exhibitions
Cinema Cabinet
The museum’s permanent exhibition is an omnibus of information on the most essential themes, players and movements in Latvian film history, from the beginnings of cinema in the late 19th century and the first film screenings in Riga up until today.
This exhibition is a travel guide into a broad cinematic world – Latvian film history is reflected upon a backdrop of world cinematic events, creating a notion of the interaction of Latvian and international cinema processes, their parallels and differences.
The exhibition is divided into six parts: timeline of Latvian and world cinema, beginnings of national film, Riga School of Poetic Documentary Cinema, animation, film production and censorship in Soviet time, film stars – actors and directors. The digital content features many layers of text, images, film fragments and audio materials. It is the first exhibition on national cinema of the kind in its scope and comprehensiveness.
Reckoning Miracle. The Animation Films of Roze Stiebra and Ansis Bērziņš
''Reckoning Miracle'' tells the story of Ansis Bērziņš and Roze Stiebra, the founders of the animation studio Dauka. Roze Stiebra and Ansis Bērziņš, who form the base of the studio, are the pioneers of cutout and drawn animation tradition in Latvia. Even though the name Dauka is associated with only one period of their artistic and production endeavour (1991-2010), the exhibition includes also their previous work. It precisely characterises the principles of the directors’ films – the pursuit of presenting the world in its joy and sorrow, to portray warmth and kindness.
Cinema Paths of Riga
Cinema Paths of Riga is an opportunity for tourists and locals to learn about the history of Latvian cinema and the history of Riga. The Cinema Paths of Riga map displays a timeline of Latvian cinema history, actors, shows, and shooting locations, like that of the movie ‘Where is the Truth? The Tragedy of the Jewish College Girl” which was made in 1913. The Cinema Paths of Riga allows people to dwell into the history of cinema in Latvia. It helps people to learn about local movies, actors and Riga.
The capital city of Latvia is a cinematic city. It has been a film-making centre for Latvian and foreign filmmakers. Movies shown throughout Europe (in cities such as Berlin and London) are oftentimes set in Riga because of its beautiful architecture and style. The city can reveal hidden secrets and provide different perspectives on life.
Educational Programs in the Riga Film Museum
Lecture for children: ”What is Cinema?”
This lecture helps children to learn about cinema and develops their creative thinking. Moving phenomenon, optical illusions, the birth of theater, mystery, horror, and comedy film are explored for young, kindergarten and elementary school aged students. The theme for grades 1-6 is visual art, which includes studies about the line, silhouette, movement, form, experiment, setting, location and surroundings of movies as well as the introduction to different artworks in the museum exposition. The classes are held in Latvian or Russian.
Classes for Older Students
This class is for middle and high school students. Classes for the older age group involve discussions about ethics, responsibility and the individual responsibility. Students will watch a documentary called ”Ten Minutes Older” by Herz Frank. The theme for this class goes well with cultural studies to discuss the importance of values in life. The discussions on the above-mentioned topics will prepare the students for filling out an assignment: a review or critique of the film. A class in the museum is a great opportunity to change the learning environment and to combine theory with real life situations.
People, Government, Freedom, and Cinema
This class is for students in grades 10-12. The class discusses the effects of totalitarian government on the lives of people and the freedom of expression by watching movie fragments in the Latvian Cultural Canon. During the classes students will study Soviet censorship, as well as study the Cultural Canon movement and the movies associated with it. Students will watch three movie fragments that were made in the years 1961-1988.