The 6th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! This year’s lineup includes Collective (Kolektīvs, Lativa, 2023), a film anthology that revolves around the participants of the Latvian Song and Dance Festival, a cherished cultural tradition thriving in the Baltic states.  The film will screen in-person at Scandinavia House on November 10 at 8 PM and virtually from November 11-19.

Drawing inspiration from real-life events, this anthology features six directors, chosen for their distinctively different artistic styles and body of work. Fervor (Degsme, dir. Aik Karapetian) crafts a mystical tale of sacrifice within a dance ensemble. Gaismas Pils (dir. Edgars Kaupers) presents a gripping and one-of-a-kind perspective on the historic events of 1985, focusing on the bravery of countless choir singers. The slightly farcical film Manwhore and Fish (Maukurs un zivs, dir. Papa Chi) challenges the tradition of choirs “buying” good voices, while Frolova’s Method (Frolovas metode, dir. Oskars Rupenheits) takes a delightful and humorous approach, exploring the quirky world of a young, nervous choir conductor with shaking hands. Pigs in Buckwheat (Cūkas driķos, dir. Marta Elīna Martinsone) offers a fresh and empathic view on what happens behind the scenes of the main dance concert, and the vibrant and colorful Latvian musical Kristīne (dir: Mārtiņš Grauds) paints a tale of jealousy and rivalry between two choir collectives.

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