International premiere
In the Land that Sings
Astonishing musical epic captures the spirit of resistance during the Latvian National Awakening.
In 1873, just four years after the first song festival in Estonia and inspired by its success, brave men known as the New Latvians held the first-ever Latvian song festival under the watchful eye of oppressive censorship. This massive celebration, featuring 1,003 singers – both men and women – changed the course of the nation’s history. It stands as a unique example of non-violent resistance in the fight for freedom against imperialism, led by Latvia’s entrepreneurs, writers, publicists and ordinary villagers, including the passionate choirmaster Jurģis (played by the Estonian Priit Pius).
Māris Martinsons, known for works such as “Loss” and “Amaya”, masterfully interweaves intensively researched testimony with real historical facts and fictional narratives to create a musical uprising against Tsarist Russian oppression. The remarkable soundtrack features some of the world’s finest symphony orchestras and choirs.
Edvinas Pukšta
Māris Martinsons (1960) graduated from the Latvian Conservatory of Drama and began a career in television in the early 1990s as a writer, producer and director of a wide range of programmes including sitcoms, crime series and variety shows. His first television film, “Anastasia”, was shown at the 2006 Montréal World Film Festival. His debut feature film “Loss” won Martinsons the Best Director Award at the Shanghai Festival and also screened at PÖFF in 2008. Later that year, “Loss” was submitted by Lithuania as a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2009 Academy Awards. His second feature, “Amaya aka Hong Kong Confidential” (2011), was the first Latvian-Hong Kong co-production in the film industry and was submitted to the 2011 Academy Awards as Latvia’s nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.
Nereikalingi zmones (Kaotus, PÖFF 2008), Amaya (Hong Kong Confidential, 2010), Tyli naktis (Jõulud. Alasti, PÖFF 2012), OKI - In the Middle of the Ocean (2014), Magic Kimono (2017), Jaungada taksometrs (2018), Zeme, kas dzied (In he Land That Sings, 2024)
Award for Best Baltic Film, grant of 5000€ from Piletilevi
