The event will take place as part of the 12th Riga International Film Festival Industry Programme (Riga IFF FORUM), scheduled for October 23-24, 2025.
It will include keynote speeches by Christian Jeune, Un Certain Regard (France), and Signe Baumane (USA), as well as case studies and presentations from twelve leading Baltic animated film production companies.
Over the past decade, Baltic animation has attracted global attention. The short film Sierra (2022) by Estonian director Sander Joon and My Marriage Project (2022) by Latvian director Signe Baumane were shortlisted for Oscars, alongside notable works by other Baltic artists. The success of Latvian animation Flow (2024), with over 70 awards including an Oscar, highlights the region’s rich, dynamic, and tradition-filled artistic environment.
Attendees at Baltic Animation Meet-Up can explore three case studies from Latvian and Czech animation. Matiss Kaza and Gregory Zalcman will discuss Flow’s international success, illustrating how it could shape the future of independent animation. Directors Lauris and Raitis Abeles will share insights into their upcoming feature film, Dog of God (2025), which translates history and myth into film, pushing narrative and visual boundaries without the aid of artificial intelligence.
Producer Martin Vandas will discuss the creation and distribution of the Czech co-production Tales from the Magic Garden (2025), as well as approaches to themes such as mourning and death in children’s literature.
The event’s main highlight, the Baltic Animation Studio Presentations, will showcase twelve leading studios from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Studio representatives will share their creative visions and preview upcoming projects.
Participants include Atom Art, Animácijas Brigade, Ego Media, and Studija Kokles from Latvia; Akis Bado, Art Shot, Broomfilms, and Kadry Skyrius from Lithuania; and AAA Creative, A Film Estonia, Nukufilms, and RebelFrame from Estonia.
