Latvian movie “Modris” to be screened at the Brussels Film Festival

As the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council approaches its end, the Flagey arts centre offers a screening of the Latvian movie Modris on Monday 8 June at 20:00 as part of the 13th Brussels Film Festival. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the film’s director Juris Kursietis.

Juris Kursietis’ debut movie, Modris, was premiered last year at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain where it was honoured with a Special Jury Prize.The award was presented for the film’s "stylistic achievement, and how the director connects loneliness, society, personal suffering and administrative repression". Juris Kursietis also received the Silver Prometheus award for Best Director at the Tbilisi International Film Festival in Georgia.

Based on a true story, the moviedepicts the downward trajectory of the life of the 17-year old Modris. The fatal turning point is a conflict with his mother who turns him over to the police. The main characters are played by the well-known Latvian actress Rēzija Kalniņa and a non-professional actor, Kristers Pikša.

Flagey is a multifunctional arts centre with several rooms suitable for film screenings and classical, contemporary, world and jazz music concerts. It is the venue each June of the Brussels Films Festival dedicated to European cinema. This year, around 70 movies from 15 countries will be screened.

The screening of Latvian films at Belgian international film festivals is part of the Latvian EU Council Presidency cultural programme organised by the Secretariat of the Latvian EU Council Presidency in cooperation with the Embassy of Latvia to Belgium and the National Film Centre of Latvia.