World premiere: Tribeca Film Festival, US (10.06.2022.)
Awarded as the Best International Narrative
Premiere in Latvia: 11.11.2022.
It is 1991 in Latvia and nineteen-year-old aspiring cinematographer Jazis’s whole world is thrown into chaos as he is dragged into the people’s peaceful protests against the Soviet Army’s attempted takeover of power in his country.
«January” is an autobiographical take on the political upheaval in the early 1990s that changed the lives of the people of the former Soviet Union. Jazis and his friends Anna and Zeps are all aspiring filmmakers, trying to pursue their dreams of making movies and enjoy the freedom of young adulthood, when the collapse of the political system in the region upends their plans, family ties and friendship. Their experience and participation in the nonviolent people’s resistance by construction of barricades and human shields becomes the defining moment in their coming-of-age.
Financed by
National Film Centre of Latvia
Eurimages
Polish Film Institute
Lithuanian Film Centre
Latvian Television
Latvian Foundation
Latvijas Mobilais Telefons
Director: Viesturs Kairišs
Script: Scriptwriter: Viesturs Kairišs. Co-writers: Livia Ulmann, Andris Feldmanis
Cinematographer: Wojciech Staron
Set Designer: Ieva Jurjāne
Costume Designer: Rūta Lečaite
Editor: Armands Začs
Original Music: Juste Janulyte
Sound Designer: Jonas Maksvytis
Make-up Artist: Ilze Trumpe
Line Producer: Mārtiņš Eihe
Production Manager: Agate Prozoroviča
Main Cast: Kārlis Arnolds Avots
Cast: Alise Dzene, Baiba Broka, Aleksas Kazanavičius, Juhan Ulfsak, Sandis Runge
Casting: Māra Liniņa
Location Manager: Ieva Eihe
Associate Producer: Elīna Gediņa-Ducena
Co-Producer: Kestutis Drazdauskas, Artbox (Lithuania), Małgorzata Staron, Staron Film (Poland)
Producer: Inese Boka-Grūbe, Gints Grūbe
Length: 95 min
Format: DCP
Release: Tribeca Film Festival, USA 10.06.2022. Best International Narrative. National Premiere: 11.11.2022.