Competition Programme  

The film is a creative portrait of Latvian luger and Olympic medal winner Martins Rubenis, who won Latvia’s first Winter Olympic medal in Turin in 2006. Apart from his success in sports, in the circles of contemporary alternative culture he is known as DJ Betons from the association Varka Kru (“Varka” means “boiling”, while “Kru” is an Estonian adaptation of the English “crew”). Like the medieval knight Lohengrin, Martins Rubenis arrives in his luge to fight a battle with an adversary, with himself, with time and the world.

Festivals

Lielais Kristaps National Film Festival, Latvia (2009)

Viesturs Kairišs

 Film and theatre director Viesturs Kairišs was born in 1971 in Riga. He studied at the University of Latvia and film and theatre direction at the Latvian Academy of Culture, where he graduated in 1997. In 1996 he founded the The Union of Unbearable Theatre (Nepanesamā teātra arteli). He worked at the New Riga Theatre and from 2003 onwards is a director at the independent theatre group United Intimacy. Since 1998, he is a member of the Filmmakers Union of Latvia. He has staged operas, made feature and documentary films and musicals. His works have gained recognition in his native Latvia and at festivals abroad.

Selected Filmography

The Dark Deer / Tumšie brieži (2006)
Romeo and Juliet / Romeo un Džuljeta (2004)
Magic Flute / Burvju flauta (2001)
Leaving by the Way / Pa ceļam aizejot... (2001)
The Wedding / Kāzas (2000)
The Train / Vilciens (1998)