PÖFF will open its 30th edition on 6 November at Alexela Concert Hall with a screening of Ulya, a co-production between Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Lithuania that premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes earlier this year.
Inspired by the life of legendary Latvian basketball player Uljana Semjonova, a two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion, Ulya follows its protagonist from an isolated rural Old Believer community into the fiercely competitive world of professional basketball. There, she must navigate both the attention drawn by her extraordinary height and the demands of elite sport.
The film is directed by Viesturs Kairišs (The Sign Painter, January) and grew from an original idea by actor Kārlis Arnolds Avots, who also plays the lead role. It is produced by Ego Media, Allfilm, Staron Film and Tremora. The film has also been selected as Latvia's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards in 2027.
“Ulya is a very good example of what the Baltic film industries can achieve by working together and with partners beyond our region,” said Triin Tramberg, Artistic Director of PÖFF. “Our countries may be small, but we have a wealth of stories and creative talent. Co-productions bring those strengths together, help ambitious films reach audiences around the world and give our filmmakers a stronger international presence,” she added.
The opening ceremony will celebrate PÖFF’s three decades alongside this year’s Focus: Baltics, which places cinema from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania at the heart of the festival. Created for the anniversary edition, the stage production “Round and Round” looks back at PÖFF’s first 30 years.
Three pianists, one from each Baltic country, will bring the ceremony’s musical programme to life. Hans Matthias Kari from Estonia, Kārlis Gusts Zariņš from Latvia and Gabriele Agile Bajoraite from Lithuania will perform selections of film music from their countries.
PÖFF will also present its Lifetime Achievement Awards and the Bruno O’Ya Young Actor Scholarship during the ceremony. The screening of Ulya will follow.
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