News

The Third Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House returns in 2020 with a virtual version taking place in three sessions: October 15-18, October 29-November 1, and November 12-15. This year, the festival will expand beyond New York to offer a selection of the most exciting and relevant Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian films to audiences across the U.S., to view in the comfort of their own homes. From Boston to L.A., from Milwaukee to Miami, enjoy the best of Baltic cinema this Fall.

In 2020, NYBFF invites viewers to look at the world through Baltic eyes and experience the full spectrum of human emotions – and, ultimately, feel inspired to hope, dream and seize the opportunity for positive change.

This year’s festival will take place in three virtual sessions, each featuring an Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian feature film, as well as live virtual Q&As with filmmakers and discussion panels. The inaugural package LAUGH & CRY (October 15-18) will showcase Baltic comedies. The next package STRESS & RELEASE (October 29-November 1) – just in time for Halloween – will present thrillers from the region. The final package LOOKING INWARD & FORWARD (November 12-15) will spotlight the latest critically-acclaimed international festival favorites from the Baltic States.

Festival films will be available to ticket holders all over the U.S., with one ticket giving the holder access to all films in a package. Each session is limited to 300 tickets in an effort to preserve the intimate and communal NYBFF experience. The sessions will take place over four days (Thursday-Sunday), and all films from the session will be available for viewing on a virtual cinema screening platform throughout this period. Festival sessions will be accompanied by live and interactive virtual filmmaker Q&As and discussion panels.

LINEUP:

LAUGH AND CRY:  BALTIC COMEDIES - October 15-18

Chasing Unicorns (Ükssarvik, dir: Rain Rannu, Estonia, 2019)

Nearby (Blakus, dir: Alise Zariņa, Latvia, 2019)

The Castle (Pilis, dir: Lina Lužytė, Lithuania/Ireland, 2019)

STRESS & RELEASE: BALTIC THRILLERS - October 29-November 1

Pretenders (Teesklejad, dir: Vallo Toomla, Estonia/Latvia/Lithuania, 2016)

Foam at the Mouth (Ar putām uz lūpām, dir: Jānis Nords, Latvia/Poland/Lithuania, 2017)

Invisible (Nematoma, dir: Ignas Jonynas, Lithuania/Latvia/Ukraine/Spain, 2019)

LOOKING INWARD & FORWARD: BALTIC SHOWCASE - November 12-15

Truth and Justice (Tõde ja õigus, dir: Tanel Toom, Estonia, 2019)

Oleg (Oļegs, dir: Juris Kursietis, Latvia/Belgium/Lithuania/France, 2019)

The Lawyer (Advokatas, dir: Romas Zabarauskas, Lithuania, 2020)

About NYBFF - The Other Cinema of Northern Europe

The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been producing motion pictures since 1910. While not as well-known as those in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe, their industries have met challenges in one era or another that ultimately only galvanized their creative ambitions for features, documentaries, and animation shorts. Through the screening of both the latest productions and selected classics, the 3rd annual New York Baltic Film Festival this Fall will again offer New Yorkers an unprecedented opportunity to see the best in Northern European film making.

Established in 2018, the annual New York Baltic Film Festival is presented Scandinavia House and organized by the Consulate General of Estonia, Consulate General of Lithuania and Consulate of Latvia in New York. Programming support is from the Estonian Film Institute, National Film Center of Latvia, and Lithuanian Film Center. Funding for the festival is courtesy of governments of the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and by the generous donations of members of the Baltic community in New York. Additional support to the festival is from the Estonian Ministry of Culture, Latvia-100, Embassy of Latvia to the U.S., Latvian Mission to the U.N., Lithuanian Culture Institute, American Latvian Association, Printful, and the American Scandinavian Foundation.