Film Archive

Cats in Riga

Documentary Films - Competition 2015 / Cats in Riga / Latvia 2014

While the news media sift through current affairs and the inhabitants of Riga focus on their daily cares, cats are completely occupied by their aimless wanderings through stairways, offices, and apartments, sublimely indifferent to the preposterous hustle and bustle of our civilization. This ingenious and playful para-documentary investigates the role of subjectivity in the perception of the world around us.

Synopsis

You’ll meet a truly wide spectrum of creation in Riga: tender lovers, ruthless killers, and day-lounging sleepers. No, we’re not talking about humans. The Danish director contemplates Latvia’s capital from a feline perspective. While current events are hashed back and forth on the news and the local inhabitants fret over their daily concerns, cats are fully absorbed in their aimless wanderings through stairways, offices, and apartments, sublimely indifferent to the preposterous hustle and bustle of our civilization. This playful para-documentary takes up the role of subjectivity in the perception of the world around us.

Martin Horyna

About the film

17 min / Color, DCP

Director Jon Bang Carlsen / Screenplay Jon Bang Carlsen / Dir. of Photography Valdis Celmins / Editor Jon Bang Carlsen / Producer Antra Gaile / Production Mistrus Media Ltd. / Contact Mistrus Media Ltd.

About the director

Jon Bang Carlsen (b. 1950, Vedbak, Denmark) graduated from the National Film School of Denmark in 1976. In the 1980s he was ranked among the foremost Danish directors for his radical documentaries that cleverly blend the authentic with the staged (e.g. Hotel of the Stars, 1981). He has also shot several acted films. Blinded Angels (Blinde engle) screened in the documentary competition at KVIFF 2006.

Contacts

Mistrus Media Ltd.
Blaumaņa Street 11/13-13, LV 1011, Riga
Latvia
Phone: +371 673 133 14
E-mail: [email protected]

Guests

Antra Gaile
Producer

Jon Bang Carlsen
Film Director