Red Code Blue

Local title
Tumesinine evangeelium
Original title
Tumšzilais Evaņģēlijs
Director
Oskars Rupenheits
Country
Year
2025
Festival
29th Black Nights Film Festival
Programme
Genre
Subject

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. A gripping Latvian crime epic.

An independently produced crime drama that accurately rewinds time to the unsafe, frenzied, and uncertain 1990s. Intense chases, interrogations, and shootouts unfold among rival gangs, reckless punks, corrupt operatives, and ruthless policemen in lawless, chaotic Riga. In this harsh world, honesty and loyalty are punished in cold blood.

A young, idealistic investigator, Romans Skulte, struggles to find his footing in the cruel, callous labyrinth of newly independent Latvia from his very first shift. Drug traffickers and violent gangsters control the bleak streets under the invisible protection of high-ranking officers. Initiative usually destroys those who show it. Rookie cadets quickly learn they can trust no one, not even their closest friends, as traitors and informants lurk everywhere.

Cunning Georgian smugglers are deeply embedded in a fearful society, while the aggressive Armenian mafia enters the scene without hesitation. A slow-burning police thriller packed with suspenseful heists, double-crosses, blackmail, bribery, and relentless pursuit. All characters are fictional, though they may be inspired by real investigations. Lead debutant Raitis Sturmanis recalls a young Charlie Sheen.

Edvinas Pukšta

Director
Oskars Rupenheits
Screenwriter
Oskars Rupenheits
Cast
Raitis Stūrmanis, Viesturs Berkmanis, Elīna Avotiņa, Indulis Miglavs, Armands Guļāns
Producer
Sintija Andersone, Oskars Rupenheits, Juris Pīlēns
Co-producer
Sergejs Timonins
Cinematographer
Juris Pīlēns
Production Design
Toms Jansons
Editing
Oskars Rupenheits
Music
Pēteris Vasks, Uģis Prauliņš
Sound
Anrijs Krenbergs
Production
KEF Studio
Co production
Vino Films, Jura Podnieka Studija
Runtime
Language
Subtitles
Director
Oskars Rupenheits

Oskars Rupenheits (1982) was born in Riga. After completing BA and MA degrees in Economics and Marketing, he enrolled on the Film Directing programme at the Latvian Academy of Culture. His graduation short film “Lambert” won Best Student Film at the Latvian National Film Awards in 2009. Later he studied at the London Film School. After returning to Latvia, he directed several popular short comedy and crime-short films, which built him a local audience and led him to write the original screenplay for his first feature film “The Foundation of Criminal Excellence” (2018). The film was very successful in Latvia and received several Latvian National Film Awards.
Filmography:
Kriminalas ekselences fonds (Kriminalas ekselences fonds, 2018), Tumšzilais Evaņģēlijs (Red Code Blue, 2025)

Award for Best Baltic Film, grant of 5000€ from Piletilevi

Screenings

Screening130817 / Tumesinine evangeelium
SubtitlesEnglish
Q&A guestsOskars Rupenheits (Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Editing), Juris Pīlēns (Producer, Cinematographer), Sintija Andersone (Producer), Raitis Stūrmanis (Cast), Toms Jansons (Production design)
Q&A duration
Screening duration
Trailer